ARC Reports Sales Gains for March

The Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) is reporting strong sales gains for March of approximately $8.3 billion, a 9.82 percent increase from March 2010. Year-to-date, gains reached $21.9 billion, representing a 10.68 percent increase.

Total transactions fell, however, to 14,128,086, a 1.16 decline for March and year-to-date total transactions are estimated at 38,815,801 a 0.30 drop. Total taxes and fees hit $1.2 billion, representing a 12.55 percent gain. Year-to-date total taxes and fees are $3.2 billion, representing a 12.47 percent gain.

The ARC reported gains in domestic fares of nearly $3.6 billion, an 8.36 percent gain. Year to date, domestic fares have totaled nearly $9.4 billion, representing an 8.91 percent gain. Domestic transactions dropped to 9,892,507, a 2.27 percent decline from last March. International fares increased solidly to approximately $3.4 billion, representing a 10.26 percent gain; year to date, international fares have reached $8.9 billion, an 11.87 percent increase from last year.

International transactions hit approximately 4.2 million, up 1.53 percent. Total fares for the month reached nearly $7 billion, representing a 9.28 percent increase from March 2010 and a 10.33 percent increase for the year to date.

Credit card sales hit $7.4 billion, an 8.93 percent gain amounting to $19.5 billion for the year to date, a 10.16 percent increase. Credit card transactions hit 12.2 million, a 2.76 percent loss. Cash sales soared to $909 million, representing a 17.71 percent gain. Cash transactions totaled 1.9 million, a 10.45 increase.

A total of 194 carriers reported their sales information to ARC for the monthly March 2011 report, along with 14,603 retail locations.

Visit www.arccorp.com.