Boeing bullish on Middle East aircraft demand

Dubai: Boeing Co said on Monday the Middle East will need 3,310 aircraft over the next twenty years to 2035, a 4.08 per cent increase on its previous forecast.

Boeing increased its global forecast by 4.1 per cent on Monday from its 2015-2034 market outlook, mainly due increasing demand and growth in Asia.

Boeing said the Middle East’s geographic location in linking almost any two points in the world with one connection would increase the amount of air travel to the region.

The Middle East is home to three of the world’s fastest growing airlines — Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways — which all have hundreds of aircraft on the order books.

The opening up of Iran is also expected to have a huge impact on global air travel, with Boeing and its rival Airbus having signed agreements to sell more than 200 aircraft to the country’s flag carrier Iran Air since January’s historic nuclear accord.