“Next-Gen” Middle East Aviation: Landmark report issued

Tuesday 21 August 2007 12:38
Bangkok--21 Aug--Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation
The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, the region’s leading independent publisher of aviation intelligence, has released its landmark study into the rapidly evolving and high potential Middle East aviation market. It describes a region which is set to rewrite the world aviation system.
The report offers a comprehensive, factual basis for review of what is generally a little-understood market, along with the Centre’s interpretation and outlook on likely directions for the future.
“The report is relatively bullish about the region’s prospects. Once the underlying issues, trends and recent growth patterns are considered in greater detail, a picture emerges of a potentially remarkable and long-term sustainable growth path — rather than an excessive, unplanned, over-hyped bubble which is about to burst, as many outside the region (and some within) may believe”, said Peter Harbison, Executive Chairman of the Centre.
The report contrasts the relative policy conservatism of the longer established aviation administrations with those of the newer, rapidly expanding, Gulf airlines and aviation entities. However, these differences are rapidly being narrowed, as liberalisation and privatisation occur.
But meanwhile, some jurisdictions, notably the emirate of Dubai, have assumed a global hub role, and others, such as Qatar and Abu Dhabi are about to make similar claims.
While there are suggestions that airport and airline expansion in the Gulf will lead to great overcapacity, this overlooks the fact that the fundamentals of the industry are rapidly changing.
The value of the Gulf’s near-perfect geographic position as a hub has been enhanced enormously in the past five years by two other main factors:
Aviation liberalisation, which allows intermediate ports to become valuable crossroad hubs; and
The introduction of ultra long-haul aircraft, permitting non-stop service to and from almost any point in the world.
“Together these features should in fact help the region’s major airlines and airports to be at the forefront of the “Next Generation (“Next-Gen”) Aviation” evolution. In this environment, growth rates can be achieved at levels which were previously impossible”, said Mr Harbison.
According to the study, the Middle East region is “quickly becoming an influential player on the world stage, boxing far above its weight. This is occurring not only because of its headline growth, but because of the way that development is shaping (or re-shaping) the global aviation balance”.
The 166-page report is available for free instant download at MiddleEastAviation.aero.
Note to editors:
About Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation
Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (www.centreforaviation.com) is a specialist information and data services group focused on the aviation industry in the Asia Pacific region. The Centre’s headquarters is in Sydney, Australia, with regional offices in Singapore, New Delhi, Geneva and Manchester, and representatives in Auckland, Bangkok, Beijing, Dhaka, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo.
Head Office, Sydney:
Derek Sadubin, Chief Operating Officer
Aurora Place, Level 4, 88 Phillip St Sydney
PO Box N777, Grosvenor Place Sydney, NSW Australia 2000
Tel: +61 2 9241 3200 Fax: +61 2 9241 3400 Email: [email protected]
Southeast Asia Regional Office:
Richard Pinkham, Regional Director, Southeast Asia
Tel: +65 6227 1608 Fax: +65 6532 5643 Email: [email protected]
Indian Subcontinent and Middle East Office:
Kapil Kaul, CEO Indian Subcontinent & Middle East
Tel: +91-11-2370-9180 Fax: +91 11 2370 9154 Email: [email protected]
UK/Europe Office:
David Bentley, UK Associate
Tel/Fax: +44 (0) 1706 881 560 Email: [email protected]
North America Representative
Martti Raito. Email: [email protected]
North Asia Representatives
Korea: Kyung-sup Lee. Email: [email protected]
Japan: Reiko Sonoyama. Email: [email protected]
More information is available on the Centre’s website
www.centreforaviation.com