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  3. Air Transportation Nature of the Industry Air travel in the United States grew at a rapid pace until 2001, expanding f

Air Transportation Nature of the Industry Air travel in the United States grew at a rapid pace until 2001, expanding f

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问题                           Air Transportation
    Nature of the Industry
    Air travel in the United States grew at a rapid pace until 2001, expanding from 172 million passengers in 1970 to nearly 642 million in 2003. However, over the next 3 years, a combination of factors--including the events of September 11, 2001, and an economic recession--combined to reduce traffic to 1996 levels. Nevertheless, air travel remains one of the most popular modes of transportation.
    Airlines transport passengers and freight over regularly scheduled routes or on routes. Several classes of airlines function in the United States. As of 2004, there were 15 major airlines---12 passenger and 3 all cargo--which the U.S. Department of Transportation defines as having operating revenues of more than ＄1 billion. The largest of these, often called the Big Six, generally have a hub and also fly internationally. A hub is a centrally located airport designated by an airline to receive a large number of its flights from many locations, and at which passengers can transfer to flights to any of the locations served by the airline system. In this way, the greatest number of passengers, from as many locations as possible, can be served in the most efficient way with a given set of resources.
    In competition with the Big Six are low-cost, low-fare carriers. These carriers have traditionally not used hub and spoke systems and have offered flights between limited numbers of cities. They primarily have focused on flying shorter routes (400 miles or less) and on serving leisure travelers. But some low-fare carriers are expanding their routes to include longer transcontinental and nonstop flights. These moves have helped low-fare carriers expand their customer base to include more business travelers.
    Another type of passenger airline carrier is the commuter or regional carrier. As of 2004, there were approximately 75 of these carriers. Regional airlines operate short-and medium-haul scheduled airline service connecting smaller communities with larger cities and with hubs. Some of the largest regional carriers are subsidiaries of the major airlines, but most are independently owned, often contracting their services to the majors. The regional airlines fleet consists primarily of smaller 19- to 68-seat turboprop and 40- to 70-seat jet aircraft. The regional airlines are the fastest growing segment of commercial aviation with I out of every 7 domestic airline passengers flying on a regional airline during at least part of his or her trip.
    Air cargo is another sector of the airline industry. Cargo can be carried in cargo holds of passenger airlines or on aircraft designed exclusively to carry freight. Cargo carriers in this industry do not provide door-to-door service. Instead, they provide only air transport from an airport near the cargo’s origin to an airport near the cargo destination. Companies that provide door-to-door delivery of parcels either across town or across the continent are classified in the couriers and messengers industry.
    Most sectors of the airline industry were in a downturn in 2002, with several passenger airlines having declared bankruptcy and others on the verge of doing so. After 6 relatively successful years in the late 1990s, fueled by an increase in passenger volume and a booming economy, the growth in airline passenger traffic began to slow in 2001, coinciding with the economic recession. After the tragic events of September 11, 2001, passenger traffic dropped steeply, causing airlines to cut flights, lay off workers, and park surplus aircraft. Although passenger volume has since recovered somewhat, the growth rate in the industry will likely continue to be depressed for several years.
    As the low-fare airlines continue to compete and gain market share over the higher-cost major airlines, and as passenger traffic remains lower, managing costs has become more critical to the survival of some airlines. Labor costs are the airlines largest cost component--amounting to over 40 percent of some airlines’ operating costs--and reducing these costs is a key part of the recovery plans of several major airlines. Reducing costs usually involves getting their constituent labor groups to restructure their wages, benefits, and work rules while continuing to improve labor productivity.
    Working Conditions
    Working conditions in air transportation vary widely, depending on the occupation. Most employees work in fairly comfortable surroundings, such as offices, terminals, or airplanes. However, mechanics and others who service aircraft are subject to excessive noise, dirt, and grease and sometimes work outside in bad weather.
    In 2003, the air transportation industry had 11.0 injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers, compared with 5.0 throughout private industry. Virtually all work-related fatalities resulted from transportation accidents.
    Airlines operate flights at all hours of the day and night. As a result, many workers have irregular hours or variable work schedules. Flight and ground personnel, including mechanics and reservation and transportation ticket agents, may have to work at night or on weekends or holidays. Flight personnel may be away from their home bases frequently. When they are away from home, the airlines provide them with hotel accommodations, transportation between the hotel and airport, and an allowance for meals and expenses. Flight attendants typically fly from 65 to 85 hours a month. In addition to flight time, they have about 50 hours a month of duty time between flights.
    Flight crews, especially those on international routes, often suffer jet lag--disorientation and fatigue caused by flying into different time zones. Because employees must report for duty well rested, they must allow ample time to rest during their layovers.
    Occupations in the Industry
    Although pilots and flight attendants are the most visible occupations in this industry, two- thirds of all employees in air transportation work in ground occupations. Two of the largest ground occupations are aircraft mechanics and service technicians and reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks.
    Aircraft mechanics and service technicians service, inspect, and repair planes. They may work on several different types of aircraft, such as jet transports, small propeller-driven airplanes, or helicopters. Many mechanics and technicians specialize, working on the airframe (the body of the aircraft) or the power plant (the engines) or avionics (the parts of an aircraft that depend on electronics, such as navigation and communication equipment). In small, independent repair shops, they usually inspect and repair many different types of aircraft.
    A reservation and transportation ticket agent is most often the first employee that passengers meet after entering the airport. Ticket agents work at airport ticket counters and boarding gates and use computers to provide customer service to incoming passengers. They can make and confirm reservations, sell tickets, and issue boarding passes. They also may work in call centers, answering phone inquiries about flight schedules and fares, verifying reservations, issuing tickets, and handling payments. Customer service representatives assist passengers, check tickets when passengers board or disembark from an airplane, and check luggage at the reception area and ensure that it is placed on the proper carrier. They assist elderly or handicapped persons and unaccompanied children in claiming personal belongings and baggage, and in getting on and off the plane. They also may provide assistance to passengers who become ill or injured.
    Other ground occupations include airplane cargo agents, baggage handlers, and aircraft cleaners. Airplane cargo agents take orders from shippers and arrange for transportation of their goods. Baggage handlers, classified under laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand, are responsible for loading and unloading passengers’ baggage. They stack baggage on specified carts or conveyors to see that it gets to the proper destination and also .return baggage to passengers at airline terminals. Aircraft cleaners clean aircraft interiors after each flight.
The passage gives a brief introduction of air industry in the United States, which includes its nature, working environment and its occupations.
选项 A、Y
B、N
C、NG
答案A
解析 主旨题。本文介绍丁航空业的性质、工作环境和内部职业分工。
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