Most Airline Travel Concentrated In 26 Major Hubs

A study released Thursday by The Brookings Institution indicates that, while last year was the first to show a net loss of airline passengers since the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, more and more passengers are experiencing delays at major airports, and the study says that situation is likely to get worse over time.

Among the major findings in the study, titled "Expect Delays: An Analysis of Air Travel Trends in the United States":

• Nearly 99 percent of all U.S. air passengers arrive or depart from one of the 100 largest metropolitan areas, with the vast majority of travel concentrated in 26 metropolitan hubs.
• Half of the country’s flights are routes of less than 500 miles, and the busiest corridors travel between the metropolitan hubs.
• The 26 metropolitan hubs and other large metropolitan areas host a concentration of national delays—and the situation is worsening over time.

But the study also blames some of the problem on what it says is a misapplication of federal AIP grants, saying more money should go to the major airports due to their passenger load. It says that sending "the majority" of federal AIP grant money to airports that don't board the majority of paying passengers "serves to intensify" the congestion problem being experienced at those 100 major airports.

The report also says that the most-used commercial airports should be allowed to exceed the federal passenger use fee, currently capped at $4.50, to give them more latitude in both operating funds and long-term investments.

The report concludes that major airports should be "empowered" to enact their own congestion mitigation policies, and calls for the formation of a "National Aviation Commission" to address what it calls the "largest threats to future system operations", as well as outline "approved projects for the country’s AIP grants over a five year period, to ensure capital investments go to the most needed metropolitan areas."

The report suggests that since so many flights are short-haul (under 500 miles), which it says are inefficient and environmentally harmful, that the passenger load between those short-haul cities should be studied when determining where to place high-speed rail corridors. And it calls for the acceleration of implementation of new technologies like NextGen as a way to ease congestion.

The report ignores the role of GA, Business Aviation, and regional airports in easing the congestion problem at those 100 largest airports.

FMI: www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/reports/2009/1008_air_travel_tomer_puentes/1008_air_travel_report.pdf