Picture credits: Boeing
Seattle: Boeing projects that the commercial airplane fleet in India and South Asia will nearly quadruple by 2043, driven by strong economic growth, improved connectivity, and air travel liberalization. The company’s latest Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) forecasts that air traffic in the region will grow annually by over seven percent, with airlines expected to take delivery of 2,835 new aircraft between 2024 and 2043. This includes 2,445 single-aisle aircraft, 370 widebody jets, and 20 freighters.
Single-aisle aircraft like the Boeing 737 MAX will make up nearly 90 percent of deliveries, optimizing short- and medium-haul operations. The widebody fleet is expected to quadruple to support expanding long-haul networks, particularly between India and North America, where passenger capacity has doubled in the past decade. Boeing predicts the cargo freighter fleet will also grow fivefold, reflecting the region’s increasing role in global supply chains and e-commerce.
Ashwin Naidu, Boeing’s Managing Director of Commercial Marketing for India and South Asia, stated, “The region’s growing economy, rising household incomes, and infrastructure investments will drive demand for a modern, fuel-efficient fleet over the next two decades.”
In addition to the fleet expansion, Boeing anticipates a need for 129,000 aviation professionals by 2043, including pilots, cabin crew, and technicians. However, the company is still facing supply chain challenges, with a backlog of over 5,500 unfulfilled orders from 2024.
Avia Solutions Group, a global aviation services provider, placed an order for up to 80 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in November 2024. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2030, with the company planning to expand its fleet from 220 to 600 aircraft by 2027.
Boeing’s latest forecast highlights the rapid expansion of the South Asian aviation market, with growing demand for both passenger and cargo aircraft.
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