Air travel will more than double over the next 20 years, with revenue passenger miles (RPMs) growing from 787 billion in 2010 to 1.7 trillion in 2031, the FAA said today in its annual forecast.
The latest data also show that US airlines will reach the one billion passengers-per-year mark by 2021, two years earlier than last year's prediction of 2023.
This forecasted explosion in growth underscores the need to keep the next generation air transportation system (NextGen) on track, according to the US government.
"Innovative NextGen technology will help meet the demands of the future by getting passengers to their destinations safely and more quickly," says US transportation secretary Ray LaHood.
Through NextGen, the FAA aims to transform the US aviation system from radar- to satellite-based systems. "We are already seeing the tangible safety and efficiency benefits of NextGen," says FAA administrator Randy Babbit.
The FAA's 20-year forecast also predicts the number of passengers travelling on US airlines will increase by 3.5% from last year to 737.4 million passengers in 2011. That figure is projected to grow an average of 2.8% each year during the remaining forecast period to 1.3 billion by 2031.
Total landings and takeoffs at FAA towered airports are forecast to slightly decrease in 2011, and then grow at an average annual rate of 1.6% each year, reaching 69.4 million in 2031.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
