Airbus Says Pacific Region To Need 920 New Aircraft In Next 20 Years

(RTTNews) - European plane maker Airbus SE, in its latest study of future demand, stated that airlines based in the Pacific region will need delivery of 920 new aircraft over the next 20 years.

Globally, Airbus forecasts demand for 39,490 new aircraft over the next 20 years, including 17,620 in the wider Asia-Pacific region.

According to the Airbus Global Market Forecast, the requirement in the Pacific region will be generated by an average growth in passenger traffic in the region of 3.2 percent per annum.

The anticipated demand will be for around 750 single aisle aircraft like the A220 and A320 Families and around 170 widebodies like the A330neo and A350. Of this, around 55 percent will be for growth and 45 percent will be to replace aircraft currently in service.

Stephen Forshaw, Airbus Chief Representative for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, presented the study on the eve of the Avalon Airshow taking place between February 28 and March 5 in Melbourne.

Forshaw said, "We are already seeing steady recovery in global air traffic and a renewed confidence in the growth of the industry. This is particularly evident in the Pacific region, where we are seeing a surge in travel demand and an increase in flights to and from key destinations."

For Airbus, the Pacific region is a key market, with 170 Airbus aircraft currently in service with airlines in Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand, and the Solomon Islands. There are orders for another 166 aircraft currently for future delivery to Pacific carriers. This represents 75 percent of the total backlog of orders from airlines in the region for all manufacturers.

According to Forshaw, sustainability is an increasingly important factor for airlines in this region, and Airbus has modern and comprehensive product line available at present, offering a reduction in fuel consumption and emissions of up to 25 percent.

He added that the replacement of older generation aircraft was just a first step on the journey to decarbonise the aviation sector.

Looking ahead, the company also projects to increase the production and availability of sustainable aviation fuels in this region and explore new sources of energy, including hydrogen and synthetic fuels.

Airbus has entered into significant partnerships in the Pacific region over the past year to advance its ambitions, including a joint fund with Qantas and a project with Air New Zealand, among others.