Demand for pilots, cabin crew and technicians will quadruple to 129,000: Boeing
Dubai: Indian and South Asian carriers will add 2,835 commercial jets to their fleet by 2034, a four-fold increase from the current level, American aircraft manufacturer Boeing said in its regional Commercial Market Outlook.
Building on sustained fleet growth throughout the last decade, continued growth within the sector will be fuelled by greater demand. The growth will also be fuelled by a rise in the region’s air traffic, which will grow more than 7 per cent annually through 2043, read the report. Boeing revealed that this would be driven by sustained economic growth, improved connectivity, and policies supporting air travel liberalisation.
"The India and South Asia region continues to be the world’s fastest-growing commercial aviation market due to strong economic and trade growth, rising household incomes and investments in infrastructure and development," said Ashwin Naidu, Boeing managing director of Commercial Marketing for India and South Asia.
"As our CMO shows, people will have greater access to air travel, and the region’s airlines will require a modern fuel-efficient fleet to meet increased demand over the next two decades,” he stated.
Experts have said India’s aviation industry is on the cusp of unprecedented growth. Scheduled airline capacity from India was up almost 9 per cent in 2024, with 240 million seats across domestic and international markets. This growth places India as one of the fastest major growth markets in the world, outpacing China, where growth has fallen below 5 per cent, according to aviation analytics company OAG’s Megahubs 2024 report.
Boeing has substantial aircraft orders from Indian and other South Asian carriers, including Air India, Akasa Air, SpiceJet, and Air India Express. India’s biggest carrier by market share, IndiGo, is an all-Airbus carrier. Orders amount to over 700 Boeing aircraft from Indian carriers alone. Experts have said that this significant demand is driven by the region's economic growth, expanding middle class, and increasing air travel.
According to the CMO, domestic air traffic is expected to remain the largest and fastest-growing segment in India’s travel market. “This projected traffic growth will be enabled by further low-cost carrier expansion and network diversification as airlines offer more routes and destinations throughout the region,” said Boeing.
India, already the third-largest domestic aviation market globally, following the US and China, is also the fastest-growing. Fuel-efficient single-aisle airplanes, such as the 737 MAX, will account for nearly nine out of 10 commercial jet deliveries in the forecast period.
However, the region’s widebody fleet will quadruple as carriers leverage airplanes like the 787 Dreamliner and 777X to further develop long-haul networks, particularly from India to North America, where capacity has doubled in the past decade,” stated the CMO.
The CMO also forecasts India and South Asia’s cargo freighter fleet, including new and converted models, will grow five-fold as the region expands its role in global supply chains, advanced manufacturing and e-commerce.
Demand for pilots, cabin crew and technicians will quadruple to 129,000 along with commercial airplane fleet expansion ─ representing the fastest growth rate of any region globally.
That said, Boeing has much work to do. The company's aircraft deliveries plunged 35 per cent in 2024 amid strike and production issues. The plane maker has been working to restore confidence in its manufacturing after a turbulent year that included a two-month strike and curbs on production after a near-catastrophe.
The US manufacturer handed over 348 jets, less than half of its European rival Airbus SE’s 766, and about a third fewer than in the previous year. Boeing also recorded 569 gross orders and 317 sales net of cancellations, conversions and a US accounting provision for at-risk deals, Bloomberg reported.
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