Passenger traffic in the Middle East will increase by 6.2 per cent annually over the next 20 years, with airline fleets expected to grow nearly three times by 2031 to meet this demand according to the latest market forecast for the region by Airbus. The forecast was presented by Andrew Gordon, Airbus Director of Strategic Marketing and Analysis, at the annual Air Arabia Arab Aviation Summit in Salalah. Altogether, airlines from the region will need 1,963 new passenger and cargo aircraft during the forecast period, valued at $408 billion.
In the passenger market, the fleet of aircraft operated by Middle Eastern carriers is expected to grow nearly three times its current size in 20 years (x2.7), with 1,384 passenger aircraft deliveries needed to meet additional new demand and nearly 522 aircraft currently in service to be replaced. Additionally, Airbus predicts that 57 new production freighter will be delivered to the region's airlines over the next two decades, while many of the aircraft will be converted from passenger models. The later represents a growth of 2.2 times the size of the current fleet in the region.
Combining demand for freighter and passenger aircrafts, Airbus predicts that carriers in the region will acquire some 792 single-aisle aircraft and more than 1,000 widebodies over the next 20 years comprising 826 twin-aisle aircraft and 345 very large aircraft. "The Middle East market will witness significant growth in the aviation industry over the next 20 years," said Andrew Gordon. "Growing economies, increasing numbers of tourists and ongoing economic diversification will drive the development of passenger traffic."
"Airbus will be uniquely placed to meet demand from airlines in the region with the most modern, efficient and comprehensive product line, ranging from 100 to over 500 seats and catering to every market segment." Airbus' forecast for the Middle East region is derived from the company's Global Market Forecast, which foresees a need for some 28,200 passenger and freighter aircraft valued at nearly $4.0 trillion over the next 20 years. In the various size categories the forecast predicts total demand for 1,710 very large aircraft, 6,970 twin aisle wide bodies and 19,520 single aisle aircraft.
The Airbus product line comprises the best-selling A320 Family in the single aisle market, the popular A330 and all-new A350 XWB in the mid-size widebody category and the flagship A380 in the very large aircraft segment. In the freight market Airbus currently offers the new-build A330-200F and the A330 Passenger-to-Freighter (A330P2F) program.
Oman Daily Observer
1 July
