Mideast seen leading air traffic growth to 2028

International air passenger traffic in the Middle East is predicted to grow by 6.6 percent over the next decade, making it the fastest growing region in the world.

The latest Global Market Forecast from manufacturer Airbus of global passenger aircraft demand also said the number of planes serving the region would almost triple by 2028.

Middle East airlines are also expected to take about six percent of the world's new aircraft deliveries over the next 20 years, the report added.

The region's carriers are set to take delivery of 730 planes by 2018 with a further 689 on order up until 2028.

The UAE will be the Middle East's biggest customer, driven by Emirates and Etihad's expansion plans, with an estimated $98.2bn of orders over the next two decades, making it the seventh biggest in the world behind the United States which is set to spend more than $450bn on passenger planes.

As well as international travel, the Airbus report identifies potential growth in the Middle East domestic market.

"Several indicators in the region show that the domestic market is about to boom. One of the top priorities for the Middle Eastern air transport industry is to sustain the liberalisation momentum achieved since the open skies initiatives signed in 2004," the report said.

It added that the region's youthful population would continue to drive growth in the domestic market as they "increasingly seek to benefit from opportunities the region can offer, both economically and in terms of leisure activities".

The report predicted that the fleet serving the region would almost triple by 2028 to a total of 1,790 aircraft in service while passenger traffic is expected to grow at an annual rate of 6.6 percent over the next decade and by 6 percent until 2028.

"While domestic and intra-regional markets in the region will continue to grow at an impressive rate...the intercontinental network will grow more quickly, as new routes are added by the region's airlines and their operations expand," Airbus said.

In particular, the Middle East is likely to figure prominently in the delivery of very large aircraft, such as the A380, the report added.

The region is expected to take a total of 189 larger planes by 2028, equating to 14 percent of the global deliveries.

Dubai-based Emirates has placed firm orders for 58 A380s, the single largest order of any airline.

According to the Airbus report, Dubai International Airport will be in the top four in the world for handling the superjumbo aircraft by 2028, behind Hong Kong, Heathrow and Beijing.

Globally, some 25,000 new passenger and freighter aircraft valued at $3.1 trillion will be delivered from 2009 to 2028, according to Airbus.

Emerging economies, evolving airline networks, expansion of low cost carriers and the increasing number of mega-cities as well as traffic growth and the replacement of older less efficient aircraft with more eco-efficient airliners are factors driving demand for new aircraft, the plane maker said.

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