FAA forecasts airline passenger travel to nearly double over next two decades

US FAA released (08-Mar-2012) its 2012-2032 aviation outlook for commercial and general aviation in the US, projecting airline passenger travel will nearly double in the next 20 years. Highlights for the commercial aviation outlook for 2012-2032:

• Available seat miles: +3.1% p/a;
  • Domestic: +2.5%;
  • International: +4.2%;
• Revenue passenger miles: +3.2%;
  • Domestic: +2.7%
  • International: +4.2%
• Enplanements: +2.5%;
  • Domestic: +2.3%;
  • International: +4.1%;
• Passenger yield: +1.2%;
  • Domestic: +1.2%
  • International: +1.3%
• Revenue ton miles: +4.9%;
• Average aircraft size (domestic): 126 seats, +0.1 seats p/a;
• Average load factor: 83.4%, +1.1 percentage points over forecast period;
• Average stage length: 1276 miles, +14% over forecast period;
  • Domestic: 951.6 miles, +8%;
• Commercial aircraft fleet: 9,853, +1.5% p/a (an additional 2668 aircraft over forecast period, up 37.1% in total). [more - original PR]