I am going to look at the numbers for 2011, failing that 2010. I believe the originally posted article said something about 878 million projected pax in 2011.
And whatever happend to good ol' Saabaroowski? Or should I say Joeymeatballs?
Ok, so the data I found said 710 million total enplanements (versus 698 million commercial) in 2000. I guess what I am looking at also includes GA. None-the-less, total enplanements for 2010 were 713 million. Whoop-de-freakin'-do. I think they missed their 26% growth by 2011 mark.
To be fair, I can only get 2010 data, according to what I read 2011 data will be out this JULY. Yikes. And I was looking at total enplanements, the article was for commercial. I believe GA enplanements added slightly over 10 million to that figure, so still a small, small percentage, and therefore a 26% growth--my foot!
May I posit that "There are lies, damned lies, and then there are statistics" should exchange the word statistics for projections?
Final edit, To be fair the September 11th attacks had not happened yet, and I imagine most prognoaticators were feeling bullish coming out of the 90's.