If you read the headlines in the western press on this year’s edition of the Dubai Airshow, they are sure to tell you this year’s event hasn’t lived up to past editions. If based just on official figures, this year doesn’t compare to the 2013 show. How could it? 2013 set a record for the number of planes sold, with more than $200 billion (Dh735.6 billion) in sales.
The real testament to this year’s show isn’t sales figures, but that the UAE is viewed as a place to come and do business on a global scale. European plane-maker Airbus is at the show pushing hard for new international clients for its A380. US defence companies are looking for regional buyers. International airlines like Southeast Asia’s VietJet and India’s Jet Airways have come to Al Maktoum International Airport, looking to build up their fleets.
Emirates and Etihad, of course, get press coverage too, but not just because they are “local” companies. It’s because they are two of the world’s biggest international airlines. That these airlines have become global players only adds to the country’s bona fide position as a global air hub — making it a natural home for this successful global and international event.
