Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the Middle East
The Middle East is an important market for the commercial aviation sector, uniquely positioned near the center of the landmass defined by Europe, Asia and Africa. In fact, the region is eight hours away from 85 per cent of the global population and the same boundary will also contain 70 percent of global economic growth for the next two decades.
This position offers the region’s airlines the opportunity to build balanced connecting hubs, connecting north and south, east and west, in a way that is difficult to duplicate from locations on the periphery of the landmass.
It is no wonder then, the commercial aviation industry has witnessed a remarkable growth with airlines in the region expanding their fleets and network and governments focusing on related infrastructure development.
In its Commercial Market Outlook for the next 20 years, Boeing estimates that the Middle East will need 2,990 new airplanes valued at $660 billion. Boeing forecasts that the Middle East will need 2,990 new airplanes valued at $660 billion over the next 20 years of which about 47 per cent will be for widebody airplanes - which is the highest share for ANY region in the world.
The preference for widebodies is driven by two main factors: their usefulness in serving high-volume routes in Asia and Europe and their key role in providing one-stop itineraries on ultra-long-haul markets such as London to Sydney. About 30% of the company’s widebody backlog is accounted for by Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad alone.
Customers for Boeing’s widebody airplanes such as the 777, 777X and 787 include Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Gulf Air, Royal Jordanian, Oman Air, Egyptair. flydubai has an all-Boeing fleet and operates the 737-800NG and the 737 MAX for which the airline placed a historic order for order for 225 aircraft worth US$27 billion at the 2017 Dubai Airshow.
Today, there are about 700 Boeing commercial airplanes currently in service with the region’s airlines with approximately another 600+ in backlog.
As the worldwide airline fleet continues to grow, demand for services designed to increase efficiency and extend the economic lives of airplanes is also rising. Growth in air traffic also creates demand for the development of innovative infrastructure and technology solutions to manage air traffic more effectively. Operators are investing in services that increase the productivity and capability of their platforms in addition to decreasing their operational costs
Boeing brings together the collective strength of the company, including the most advanced digital aviation and data analytics capabilities, to anticipate customers’ needs, prevent problems before they occur and maximize their services investment.
Boeing estimates that the services market in the Middle East is valued at $745 billion over the next 20 years.
Boeing provides technical support for its commercial airplane customers in the UAE with 12 BCA field service representatives directly embedded with customers, covering all aspects of aircraft operations. Boeing Global Services in Dubai supports customers with parts and material management services. The Dubai-based service center is one of eight global Boeing distribution facilities. It maintains $50 million in parts with an inventory of more than 20,000 items that are shipped throughout the region to support Boeing Commercial Airplanes customers.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes: A Better Way to Fly
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, a business unit of The Boeing Company, is committed to being the leader in commercial aviation by offering airplanes that deliver superior design, efficiency and value to customers around the world. There are more than 10,000 Boeing commercial jetliners in service, flying passengers and freight more efficiently than competing models in the market. More than 5,700 Boeing airplanes are currently on order. Boeing Commercial Airplanes, headquartered in Seattle employs more than 60,000 people worldwide.