Fast-growing airlines in the UAE set for pivotal role

Dubai: Emirates and Etihad Airways are expected to help direct UAE’s economic expansion in new directions.

“There can be no strong growth without a strong airline sector and the UAE is blessed to have some of the world’s fastest-growing airlines. Additionally, the regulatory policy appreciates that airlines and airports are connected,” said Geneva-based aviation analyst, Andrew Charlton, managing director of the Europe-based strategic advisory, government and public affairs firm, Aviation Advocacy.

Faster growth in this sector is likely to come from Etihad Airways, which has established numerous strategic alliances in the European Union (EU), US-based Addison Schonland, founder and partner at AirInsight, said. “These [alliances] will prove very successful. Etihad has now achieved virtually unlimited access to EU, without giving up anything — as opposed to the barriers faced by Qatar Airways and Emirates,” he said.

Sustainability in aviation sector growth, meanwhile, will require “joined-up thinking across the Gulf in ATM (air traffic management)”, according to Charlton. “Without that, all the other work being done will not yield results as quickly and as efficiently as everyone would like them to,” he pointed out.

Schonland said he would want to see the region’s airlines get involved with “biofuels”. “The airlines need to show leadership in biofuels [to sustain future growth],” he explained. Also, Abu Dhabi is well advanced in its plans to build an aircraft manufacturing facility in the emirate. Dubai is also boosting its capacity to maintain, overhaul and repair aircraft.