The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released the 57th Edition of the World Air Transport Statistics for the year 2012. In 2012 airlines carried 2.977 billion passengers on scheduled services.
- The top five airlines by total passengers carried: Delta Air Lines (116.7 million), Southwest Airlines (112.2 million), United Airlines (92.6 million), American Airlines (86.3 million) and China Southern Airlines (86.3 million).
- Air transport companies provide 57 million jobs and $2.2 trillion in economic activity.