Asia-Pacific will be strongest market: Airbus

JAKARTA (JP): The Asia-Pacific will have the world's fastest growing airline industry with the next twenty years, according to a report by European aircraft maker Airbus Industrie.

The company said world demand for new planes over the next 20 years would reach 13,500 planes worth US$1.1 trillion.

The Asia-Pacific will account for 34 percent of all new business in dollar terms, Airbus said.

Airbus said passenger traffic to, from and within the region would rise at an average of 6.4 percent a year over this period, compared with the world average 5.2 percent.

These figures require a tripling of the number of seats currently available, from today's 416,000 seats to 1.3 million, or 32 percent of world capacity, the company said.

The biggest increase would be in China with domestic traffic annual growth reaching nearly 10 percent.

"As a result of this growth, Airbus predicts an increase in the average size of aircraft operated in the region from 232 seats to 312 seats or equivalent to the Airbus A-330-300 for regional service and the ultra-long range for intercontinental route."

"Altogether the total fleet will more than double from its current level of 1,800 aircraft to 4,100, comprising 1,500 single aisle and 2,600 wide-body types."

In line with the importance placed by Asian carriers on fleet youth, Airbus Industrie predicts big demand for replacement aircraft with some airlines replacing their fleets twice.

"This leaves a requirement for 2,600 additional aircraft to meet growth. With an existing backlog of almost 500 aircraft already ordered by Asia-Pacific airlines, potential sales from the region total some 3,600 aircraft, valued at $375 billion."

Airbus's forecast for the Asia Pacific is based on demand by 59 major airlines for passenger and combi planes with more than 70 seats. The airlines included 27 carriers in North and Southeast Asia, 17 in China, 10 on the Indian sub-continent and five in the Pacific.

The European company said its goal is to achieve at least a 50 percent share of the future world airplane market and said that its A330-300 and A340-500 models make it well-prepared to meet the expected demand for planes with greater seating capacity. (icn)