Boeing forecasts demand for 2370 new aircraft in the Middle East over 20 years

Boeing forecast (04-Dec-2012) demand for 2370 new aircraft in the Middle East, worth USD470 billion, between 2012 and 2031. The company predicts long-range, widebody aircraft will comprise the majority of orders, reflecting the global network priorities of the region's major carriers. The company predicted widebody aircraft will account for 46% of the Middle East's deliveries over the 20-year period, narrowbody aircraft will account for 45%, large aircraft will account for 8% and regional jets will comprise 1% of the demand. Boeing Commercial Airplanes VP of marketing Randy Tinseth said, "As the region's leading carriers, such as Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airways, continue their global expansion plans we are seeing demand for new, efficient, long-haul aircraft, capable of connecting their hubs with any city in the world. With a backlog of almost 174,000 long-haul seats, the region's carriers have significantly more long-haul capacity than airlines in other regions such as Europe and Asia." [more - original PR]