During the one hundred years since the first flight of
Orville and Wilbur Wright, the air transport indus-
try has grown into a major sector of the global econ-
omy. Even more importantly, it has become essential
to developing and maintaining cultural and economic
links among countries and peoples. The airlines alone
generated more than $300 billion in revenues in 2002,
a lean year, and carried about 1.6 billion passengers, a
number expected to grow at an annual rate of 4%–5%
over the next 20 years according to most forecasts.
According to the industry “air transport provides
28 million direct, indirect, and induced jobs world-
wide” and carries “over 40% of the world trade of
goods, by value” (Collaborative Forum 2003).