US Airline Group A4A Sees Strong Spring Growth

US airline trade group Airlines for America (A4A) has forecast a record number of passengers will fly over the March/April period, as lower fares and increased competition encourage growth.

A4A expects 2.47 million people on average to fly each day during the spring months, or 150.7 million in total. The increase over the same two month period last year is 4 percent, up from 145 million.

The forecast means that on average, 94,000 additional passengers will fly per day, with airlines adding capacity of 114,000 seats each day, to meet the demand.

“Travellers are taking to the skies this spring in record numbers,” A4A VP John Heimlich said. “An expanding economy, employment gains and surging household net worth are also contributing to the growth in demand for air travel.”

The industry group said domestic airfares, including ancillary services, were over 40 percent lower than 1980, a trend contributing to the strong growth seen in recent years.