European aircraft manufacturer Airbus on Sunday said that the Middle East region will need more than 265,000 people to be employed in the sector in the next 20 years.

Released ahead of Dubai Airshow 2025, the company projected that the region will require 69,000 new pilots, nearly 64,000 new technicians, and 132,000 cabin crew as the aviation network and traffic continues to develop in the Middle Eastern region.

The UAE and other Gulf countries are investing billions of dirhams in new aircraft and airport infrastructure, which will create jobs for thousands of people in the region over the coming decades.

Dubai is building the world's largest airport - Al Maktoum International Airport - which is scheduled to open in the coming few years.

It added that the region will require 4,080 new passenger aircraft in the next 20 years, comprising 2,380 single-aisle and 1,700 widebody jets.

The company projected that the in-service fleet will surge from 1,480 aircraft in 2024 to 3,700 by 2044 over the next two decades.

It added that widebody aircraft will represent 42 per cent of total demand - the highest share globally and more than double the world average of 20 per cent. This positions the Middle East as the leading driver of global widebody growth, fuelled by its strategic location as the geographic centre of gravity for worldwide air traffic growth as it continues to move eastwards.

According to the Iatest data, the UAE's aviation sector contributes an impressive $92 billion - or 18.2 per cent - to the country's GDP.

Starting at Dubai World Central on Monday, the five-day show is "one of the world's largest aviation exhibitions", with 115 countries, 490 civilian and military delegations, and 150,000 visitors expected.

The regional commercial aviation services market as a whole is valued at some $30 billion over the next 20 years. The services growth will be principal in maintaining aircraft availability, training, flight operations, and Air Traffic Management solutions, cabin upgrades, and connectivity.

“The Middle East is transforming global aviation, and the forecast fleet expansion is truly significant, particularly when it comes to widebodies. This region is becoming the long-haul hub now and into the future,” said Gabriel Semelas, president of Airbus in the Africa and Middle East region.

The European aviation giant noted that passenger traffic in the region is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 4.4 per cent, supported by robust economic development, tourism, and trade. The population is projected to increase by 240 million over the same period, further amplifying demand for air travel.

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