Transportation industry employment in 2001, especially commercial aviation, was affected by the September 2001 terrorist attacks as well as a weakening economy. Air transportation employment was already declining from a high point of 1.32 million people in February 2001 when the terrorist attacks occurred. By December 2001, air transportation employment had fallen almost 10 percent to 1.19 million people. Overall employment in transportation dropped from 10.08 million people in January 2001 to 9.92 million in October, a decline of 1.5 percent [1].
