Asia-Pacific will be strongest market: Airbus
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)