Office of the Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs International Aviation Developments Series

December 2008

U.S. Department of Transportation
Released June 2009

Table of Contents

Introduction Pg 1
Summary of Data Pg 3

Passenger Traffic Pg 4

Departures and Seat Capacity Pg 5

Freight Traffic Pg 5

Data Tables

Table 1: Nonstop Travel Between the U.S. and the World - Passengers, Seats, Departures, and Freight

Table 2: U.S. International Nonstop Data by World Area - Passengers, Seats, Departures, and Freight

Table 3: Top 25 Foreign Country Gateways to U.S. (Passengers)

Table 4: Top 25 Foreign Country Gateways to U.S. (Seats)

Table 5: Top 25 Foreign Country Gateways to U.S. (Freight)

Table 6: Top 40 U.S. Passenger Gateways to the World, Scheduled Service

Table 7: Top 40 International Passenger Gateways to the U.S., Scheduled Service

Table 8: Top 50 U.S. - International Airport-Pairs, Scheduled Passenger and Seat Data

Introduction

The U.S. International Air Passenger and Freight Statistics report has been developed to provide the public with additional access to international aviation data. The report is restricted to nonstop commercial traffic traveling between international points and U.S. airports. Global air travel systems are comprised of complex, ever-changing networks and alliances. The majority of international passengers to and from the U.S. make at least one connection before reaching their final destination. This report represents a limited aspect of international travel - nonstop flows into and out of the U.S. cities that serve as an international gateway will have high numbers in this report, but users should bear in mind that some portion of this traffic continued on a connecting flight to its final destination. Conversely, U.S. carriers serve some international points only through an international connection; therefore it might look as if no U.S. carrier serves a certain international point, when in fact U.S. carrier traffic is first flowing through a connecting city. Figures for U.S. nonstop market share do not necessarily correlate to the total service provided to that point by U.S. carriers.

The widespread use of code-share agreements also influences this data. Under a code-share agreement, it is common for a passenger to fly on an aircraft owned and operated by a different airline than the one from which they bought their ticket. The data in this report represents the air carrier that operated the passenger or cargo flight reported. In some cases, such as U.S. to China, regulatory impediments make it difficult for U.S. domestic carriers to operate adequate service using their own equipment. U.S. carriers compensate by marketing and selling tickets under their own code to those destinations, and then arranging for a foreign code-share partner to actually transport the passengers. Therefore, low U.S. market share in certain restricted markets is not indicative of the true proportion of passengers purchasing U.S. carrier tickets, but rather represents the actual carrier that transported the passengers reported. Code-sharing and network- flow data issues also apply to cargo shipments.

The data in this report is presented in a top-down format. Table 1 provides gross summaries of U.S.-international passengers, capacity, and freight. The same data is then broken down by world area and by country in Tables 2 through 5. Scheduled passenger data for the largest domestic gateway cities, the largest foreign gateway cities, and the largest U.S.-international airport-pairs can be found in Tables 6, 7, and 8. All data is derived from the T-100 Segment reports submitted to the Department by U.S. and foreign carriers.

The T-100 program was instituted by the Department of Transportation effective January 1, 1990. It covers traffic reports of foreign airlines operating to the United States and traffic reports of the domestic and international operations of U.S. airlines. The airlines submit these reports monthly to the Department’s Office of Airline Information (OAI) of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The rules governing disclosure of the International T-100 data require that the data be kept confidential for a period of six months beyond the reporting date.

Users of this report should take the following points into consideration:

• The T-100 segment data includes all traffic arriving at U.S. airports and departing from U.S. airports on nonstop commercial international flights.

• Prior to October 1st 2002, air carriers that operated aircraft with 60 seats or less were not required to file T-100 data. Therefore prior to October 1st 2002, passenger volume in particular markets—particularly the Caribbean and certain Canadian markets – is understated in this report due to the large amount of service provided by small aircraft.

• T-100 data represents only nonstop service. The absence of U.S. nonstop service, or a low U.S. flag market share, does not necessarily correlate to the amount of service provided to that point by U.S. carriers. Many international destinations are served by U.S. carriers via connecting points. Those not heavily served on a nonstop basis are underrepresented in this report.

• Conversely, traffic on U.S.-international routes that serve as connecting gateways will exceed the number of true Origin & Destination passengers on the route because of the high percentage of traffic connecting through the gateway.

• Code-share relationships may cause U.S. carriers to seem under-represented in certain restrictive markets. This data is reported according to the operating carrier. In extensive code-share relationships (particularly to certain Asian countries) U.S. airlines sell a large number of tickets to passengers and then provide transport through the foreign code-share partner.

• Cargo carriers also employ the use of networks and code-share arrangements; therefore, cargo data is susceptible to the same reporting shortcomings in this report as passenger data.

• Freight tons do not include mail.

• The T100 dataset is dynamic and subject to edits and updates. The data in this report represent a snapshot of the T100 segment on the day the report tables are generated. This report will contain most recent data for the current month and previous 35 months.

This report is available on the Internet at http://ostpxweb.dot.gov/aviation/. More extensive International T-100 data is also posted at this location in a downloadable format. Questions and comments should be directed to the Office of Aviation Analysis, Office of the Secretary, at (202) 366-2352.

Summary for the Month of December 2008 and year-ended December 2008

Passenger Traffic

Air passenger traffic between the U.S. and the rest of the world during the month of December 2008 decreased 5.9% from a year ago to 12,560,667 passengers. U.S. airlines carried 56.3% of total passengers traveling to or from international destinations. U.S. and foreign charter passengers accounted for 0.7% of international travel.

For the year-ended December 2008, U.S.-world traffic was down 0.3% from the previous year to 160,213,023 passengers. U.S. airlines carried 57.0% of total passengers, compared to 56.2% the previous year. U.S. and foreign charter passengers accounted for 1.5% of international travel.

World Area Trends

Four of the nine regions experienced passenger growth between the year-ended periods December 2008 and 2007. Africa experienced the largest percentage increase in nonstop passenger traffic growth to and from the U.S. for the year-ended December 2008, rising 25.8%. Passenger traffic between the U.S. and Australia/Oceania contracted the most, falling 7.1% to 3,174,694 passengers.

The largest U.S.-international regional gateway was U.S.-Europe, where 53.3 million passengers were transported during the year-ended December 2008 period. Europe is followed by Central America at 27.1 million passengers, and the Far East was third at 23.2 million passengers.

Country Trends

The top five U.S.-international country passenger gateways for the year-ended December 2008 were Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Germany. Of the top 25 country markets, 12 posted a positive passenger growth rate for the year-ended period and none experienced a loss in passenger traffic greater than 10%. U.S. flag share was up in 14 of the top 25 country markets, was unchanged in five country markets, and decreased in six country markets.

Gateway Trends

The top five domestic scheduled passenger gateway airports for the year-ended December 2008 were New York, NY (JFK), Los Angeles, CA (LAX), Miami, FL (MIA), Chicago, IL (ORD), and Newark, NJ (EWR). Load factors were 70% or higher in 33 out of the top 40 domestic gateway airports. Load factors were below 60% in two of the top 40 domestic gateway airports. Passenger traffic for the year-ended December 2008 compared to year-ended December 2007 was up in 25 of the top 40 domestic gateways

The top five foreign scheduled passenger gateways for the year-ended December 2008 were London, United Kingdom (LHR), Tokyo, Japan (NRT), Toronto, Canada (YYZ), Frankfurt, Germany (FRA), and Paris, France (CDG). There were 14 international gateways, Frankfurt, Germany (FRA); Paris, France (CDG); Can Cun, Mexico (CUN); Amsterdam, Netherlands (AMS); Taipei, Taiwan (TPE); Munich, Germany (MUC); San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO); Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (PVR); Madrid, Spain (MAD); Manchester, United Kingdom (MAN); Zurich, Switzerland (ZRH); Tel Aviv, Israel (TLV); Lima, Peru (LIM) and Aruba, Aruba (AUA), with a load factor of 80% or more for the annual period. There were no international gateways with a load factor under 60%. Of the top 40 foreign gateways, 21 reported traffic losses compared to the year-ended December 2007. The top U.S.-international gateway segments were 1) New York, NY (JFK)-London, United Kingdom (LHR); 2) Honolulu, HI (HNL)-Tokyo, Japan (NRT); 3) Los Angeles, CA (LAX)-London, United Kingdom (LHR); 4) Chicago, IL (ORD)-London, United Kingdom (LHR); and 5) Los Angeles, CA (LAX)-Tokyo, Japan (NRT).

Departures and Seat Capacity

Departures between the U.S. and the rest of the world for the month of December 2008 increased 7.3% from December 2007. Available seats decreased by 4.6% over the same period. U.S. airlines provided 56.2% of international seats and 63.6% of departures. Charter service for all airlines accounted for 0.8% of international seats and 2.9% of international departures.

For the year-ended December 2008, U.S.-world seats increased 0.6% from the previous year to 212.2 million. Departures decreased by 2.0% to 1.49 million. U.S. airlines provided 56.5% of seats, compared to 56.3% the previous year. Charter service for all airlines accounted for 3.6% of international seats and 3.7% of international departures

World Area Trends

Six of the nine world area regions recorded an increase in annual seat capacity between the year-ended periods December 2008 and 2007. Africa reported the largest relative increase in available seats to and from the U.S., rising 21.7% to 1.6 million, while Australia/Oceania-U.S. seat capacity had the largest relative decline, down 5.5% to 4.3 million seats.

Between the U.S. and Europe, 68.6 million seats were available for the year-ended December 2008, making it the largest U.S.-international regional gateway from a seat capacity standpoint. Europe is followed by Central America with 36.2 million seats, Canada with 30.9 million seats, and the Far East with 30 million seats.

Country Trends

The top five U.S.-international country gateways for seat capacity in the year-ended December 2008 were Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Germany. Of the top 25 U.S.-international countries, eight posted negative growth rates. U.S. flag share was down in ten of the 25 country markets, was unchanged in two country markets, and increased in the remaining 13 country markets.

Freight Traffic

Air freight between the U.S. and the rest of the world in the month of December 2008 decreased 26.5% from December 2007 to 634,187 tons. U.S. airlines carried 47.6% of total freight to and from international destinations. Charter service accounted for 15.6% of international freight traffic.

For the year-ended December 2008, U.S.-world airfreight decreased 8.1% over the previous year to 9.53 million tons. U.S. airlines carried 47.8% of total freight, compared to 47.0% the previous year.

World Area Trends
The Middle East experienced the greatest relative increase in nonstop freight shipments to and from the U.S. between the year-ended December 2008 and 2007, rising 23.2%. The Caribbean posted the second largest increase, up 0.7%. Two of the nine regions recorded a gain of freight traffic between the two 12 month ended periods. On an absolute basis, The Middle East posted the largest increase, up 24 thousand tons to 0.1 million tons.

Between the U.S. and the Far East, 3.5 million tons were transported for the year-ended December 2008, this area making the Far East the largest U.S. international regional freight gateway, followed closely by Europe with 3.2 million tons of freight.

Country Trends

The top five U.S.-international country gateways for freight in the year-ended December 2008 were Japan, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Germany, and Taiwan. Of the top 25 country markets, seven posted positive freight growth rates for the year-ended December 2008 versus the year-ended December 2007. Italy had the highest loss rate at 25%. U.S. flag share was down in eight of the 25 country markets, was unchanged in 3 country markets, and increased in the remaining 14 country markets.