The Air Transport Association today said major domestic
airlines posted their fifth consecutive month of year-over-year revenue
increases, with passenger revenue up 21 percent over May 2009. ATA attributed
the gains to both an increase in passenger traffic and firmer pricing.
ATA said 2 percent more domestic passengers last month took
to the skies on its member carriers, which include the largest domestic
airlines and represent more than 90 percent of U.S. passenger traffic, while
the average price to fly a domestic mile increased 17 percent.
International passenger
revenue fared even better with a 36 percent increase, compared with May last
year, ATA reported. "These results reflect encouraging signs of the
nation's economic recovery from the very deep hole of a year ago," ATA
president and CEO James May said.