Aircraft
Airbus: Middle East Will Increase World Traffic Share
Airbus predicts the Middle East will be the second largest regional market in terms of 20-year demand for very large aircraft, accounting for 26 percent. As of last month the Gulf carrier Emirates had received almost 40 Airbus A380s.
Airbus predicts the Middle East will be the second largest regional market in terms of 20-year demand for very large aircraft, accounting for 26 percent. As of last month the Gulf carrier Emirates had received almost 40 Airbus A380s.

The Middle East is sitting at the end of the air transport rainbow, if Airbus forecasts are to be believed: its share of global traffic will expand faster than that of any other geographical area, increasing by one half in the next 20 years. “Traffic carried by [the region’s] airlines is expected to grow at the highest rate of 7.1 percent/annum, accounting for 12 percent of all traffic carried in 2032 [compared with about 8 percent last year],” according to the latest Airbus 20-year global market forecast, published in September. This growth compares with an expected worldwide annual average of 4.7 percent.