Downers Grove, IL—December 11, 2003—The airline industry is beginning to stabilize, following an unprecedented period of turmoil according to OAG, the world’s leading source of independent flight schedule information. The most recent OAG quarterly report, released Thursday, reveals that worldwide flight levels are up 1% compared to the same week in December 2002 with more than 3000 additional flights. Domestic U.S. flights replicate this finding with a 1% growth over last year. The low cost carrier segment marks the most significant area of growth for the U.S., with a 6% increase compared to December 2002. The report also indicates recovery for U.S. international travel. While, the U.S. continues to see minor decreases, flights to Asia-Pacific are down only 1% over last year compared to last quarter when the same route saw a 12% decrease in response to the SARS epidemic. “Even this slight increase is indication of the strength and resilience of the airline industry in the United States,” said Joseph F. Laughlin, vice-president, OAG data. “Despite a year of turmoil as a result of international conflict and the SARS epidemic, U.S. travel, both domestically and internationally, continues to rebound steadily.” Other important statistics include: · To and from the UK, flights are up 3% but UK domestic flight levels are down -5% · The Asia Pacific shows the strongest year-on-year growth. Flights to and from Asia Pacific are up 8% on December 2002 and traffic within Asia Pacific has grown by 6%. · Central & South America has seen the biggest drop, with -11% fewer flights. You can obtain the full figures for the December 2003 report by clicking here or by contacting Dana Kessler at Slack Barshinger on 312/970-5805, or dana.kessler@slackbarshinger.com About the OAG Quarterly Report on Global Airline Schedules
This is the fifth OAG quarterly report on global airline schedules, developed to provide a comprehensive snapshot of the current state of the air travel industry. The data used in the report is taken from the OAG schedules database, the scale and quality of which is unmatched. Recognised for its accuracy, the OAG database is constantly updated and holds data on more than 930 airlines and over 1.5 million flight sectors. The report identifies and compares the number of scheduled flights by region, on key routes and to and from major airports, for a particular week from year to year. The reports are published in March, June, September and December.
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