UAE- Boeing sees Middle East vying with Asia for orders

11/8/2015 3:24:48 AM

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Boeing Company on Saturday said that Middle East airlines account for 30 per cent of its backlog for wide-body planes and predicted the region's carriers will vie with Asia as the biggest purchaser of such planes even with a population that's 10 times smaller.

Emirates Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways have been growing at a far quicker pace than their rivals in Europe or the US as they take advantage of international aviation law that allows them to carry passengers from one geographic region through the carrier's home market into another area.

"There's no question they've built very successful business models around that moving passengers from south- and southeast Asia into the Middle East and distributing them into other markets primarily Europe" said Randy Tinseth head of marketing for Boeing's commercial aircraft division.

"The majority of wide-bodies are going to carriers using sixth freedom rights they've built very successful business models and we just don't see that changing."

The US aircraft manufacturer said the Middle East continues to be a key market for growth in both the commercial and defence aerospace sectors Boeing's senior executive said ahead of the Dubai Airshow.

The US firm also said it expects a sale to Kuwait of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets to be finalised soon but lower oil prices are delaying some weapons purchase programmes by Gulf states.

Kuwait was expected to announce an order for 28 of the fighter jets worth over $3 billion Reuters reported earlier this year.

Boeing will showcase a range of products and services at the show including flydubai's Next-Generation 737-800 Qatar Airways' 25th 787 Dreamliner the Maritime Surveillance Aircraft the US Navy's P-8 Poseidon and the US Marine Corps MV-22 among others.

- with input from agencies.

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