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Dubai’s long-haul operator Emirates Airline has so far topped the Middle East region in terms of aircraft orders, as the airline continues to expand its network, compiled data showed.
The airline has an order book of 200 aircraft to be delivered by the end of 2029, the largest in the region, according to figures published in a report by OAG, a data platform for the global travel industry.
The fleet deliveries are slated between 2024 and 2029, with 15 aircraft expected this year.
Emirates is followed by another UAE-based carrier, Air Arabia, with a total order book of 114, followed by Flydubai (113), Qatar Airways (112) and Etihad (100).
Collectively, the ten largest airlines in the Middle East have a total order book of 795 aircraft, which is one of the largest in existence on a regional market basis.
The majority of the new aircraft deliveries (58%) will be for network expansion, according to Airbus. The additional fleet could mean that around 107 million new seats will be added to the Middle East market by 2029, according to OAG.
Airlines have been expanding their network capacity since demand for travel bounced back after the pandemic.
Large carriers in the region have also posted positive performance. Emirates’ latest six-month results recorded a $2.7 billion profit and Qatar Airways reported $1 billion for the same period.
OAG’s industry report also highlighted that the entry of new airlines, as well as increased mobility and massive infrastructure developments, will lead to a “period of rapid growth and transformation” in the region.
Airfares could also be lowered, as increased capacity and new entrants create a consumers’ market.
(Writing by Cleofe Maceda; editing by Brinda Darasha)
