PASSENGER AIR TRANSPORTATION DATA NEEDS, RESOURCES, AND ISSUES

Significant issues of passenger air transportation are discussed, and the information resources available to the U.S. Department of Transportation for planning purposes are detailed. The issues related to air transportation information that must be considered in the national transportation strategic plan are addressed, and deficiencies in the information for transportation planning are pinpointed. Currently available passenger aviation information has been influenced most by regulation of the aviation industry. Unlike other industries, where disclosure information is voluntary, significant amounts of aviation information are required by federal regulations. Two primary regulatory agencies collect data from members of the airline community: the Civil Aeronautics Board and the Federal Aviation Administration. Air passenger transportation statistics are also available from other government agencies, such as the Internal Revenue Service, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the National Transportation Safety Board. Additionally, many private enterprises regularly publish and collect statistics for the aviation industry. The current information systems are valuable but are largely deficient in fundamental ways. For example, no national information system exists to coordinate the available government data. Also there are no consistent demographic and passenger demand statistics. Dramatic increases in international air travel present a critical need for more uniform data on international air passenger travel. Specific information gaps include the lack of data regarding airports eligible for FAA funding, the need for timely and accurate data, and the lack of a physical inventory in the national aerospace plan data. It is suggested that the strategic planning team consider the current data as a single national aviation information resource, then determine the importance of each data source to planning requirements. The team must find a systematic way to shape this information into a useful planning tool.