BTS Indicators Report Shows September 11 Impact on Large Airlines

Contact BTS 3-02 David Smallen 202-366-5568

Thursday, March 7, 2002 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today released its monthly Transportation Indicators report showing that air traffic indicators for domestic service by large airlines in October were far below October 2000 levels, as were air traffic indicators for international service by domestic carriers.

The air traffic indicators for October compared to October 2000 were:

• Revenue passenger miles: down 20 percent for domestic service and 37 percent for international service.
• Available seat-miles: down 15 percent for domestic service and 17 percent for international service.
• Revenue ton-miles of freight: down 29 percent for domestic flights and 18 percent for international flights.
• Available ton-miles of freight: down 13 percent for domestic and 10 percent for international flights.
• Passenger revenue load factor: down 4 percent for domestic and 18 percent for international flights.
• Freight revenue load factor: down 7 percent for domestic and 4 percent for international flights.
• Aircraft revenue departures: down 15 percent for domestic and 12 percent for international flights.
• Passenger revenue enplanements: down 21 percent for domestic and 32 percent for international flights.

Dr. Ashish Sen, BTS Director, said, "Transportation Indicators provides a clear and comprehensive report on the impact of September 11 on the nation's airlines. BTS will continue to monitor the nation's transportation system through this monthly report."

The BTS Transportation Indicators report is a monthly update of critical transportation information that details the impact of transportation on the nation's economy and society.

Transportation Indicators provides information on more than 100 trends in the areas of safety, mobility, economic growth, the human and natural environment, and national security. The monthly report, which is available at www.bts.gov, provides information to address specific transportation issues and to assist in the effort led by BTS to make transportation information more accurate, reliable and timely. Updated reports will be available on the BTS website at the end of every month.

Other trends highlighted in this month's report are:

• U.S. highway vehicle-miles of travel were 3 percent higher in November than in November 2000.
• The large air carriers reported 80 percent of flights arrived on time in December, compared to 62 percent in December 2000. These carriers also scheduled 17 percent fewer operations in December than a year earlier.
• Personal spending on motor vehicles and parts was up 16 percent in the fourth quarter of 2001.
• January producer prices for crude petroleum were down 38 percent from a year ago.
• January producer prices for highway and street construction fell by 4 percent from January 2001, the second largest decline in the 10 years tracked by this report.
• Employment costs for transportation industries were 5 percent higher in the fourth quarter of 2001 than a year earlier.
• Advance retail sales of motor vehicles fell 5 percent in January.
• The production index for aircraft and parts was down 5 percent in December.
• The value of imports was down 2 percent while exports declined 1 percent in November.
• The value per metric ton of waterborne imports was 8 percent lower in October than in October 2000.
• Truck, rail, and pipeline trade with Canada in November were all lower than a year earlier-by 11 percent, 8 percent, and 25 percent, respectively.
• Truck, rail, and pipeline trade with Mexico in November were all lower than a year earlier-by 12 percent, 2 percent, and 57 percent, respectively.
• The value of transportation-related imports was down 5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2001, and the value of exports was down 8 percent. The biggest declines were for travel and passenger fares, both of which showed double-digit drops in imports and exports.

Continual updating of information on trends will help in developing forecasts for the future, both within the department and outside. The monthly report will also help transportation decision-makers spot changes that might require rapid action.