DUBAI: Demand for new aircraft is recovering, a top Boeing official said, with 44,000 new units expected to enter the market in the next 20 years.
The demand is particularly strong in the air cargo market, Michael Arthur, president of Boeing International Michael Arthur, told Al Arabiya TV, adding Boeing is converting some passenger aircrafts into cargo planes.
“We have not historically seen such demand for cargo aircraft, and we sell them quickly. Because demand is very high, we are converting some intended for transporting passengers for air cargo,” Arthur explained.
Half of the projected 44,000 will be replacing old planes, he said, while the other half will “meet the growth in expansion plans.”
Arthur also talked about the increasing demand in more fuel efficient jets, on the back of mounting pressure from climate activists.
“Perhaps the best way today is to replace the old planes, because new planes are 25 percent more fuel efficient, so we are taking great steps with our customers,” the Boeing president said.
