Page 14 - DAEP PR REPORT - JANUARY 2025

1/16/25, 4:30 PM Airport Show-2025 to showcase best-in-class technology
Airport Show. “For the Middle East airports, the focus is not on surviving but thriving and bringing about
tectonic changes to the landscape.”

It is not just the airports that are expanding and improvising. As of 2023, the 10 largest airlines in the
Middle East have collectively ordered 795 new aircraft to be delivered by the end of the decade as the

global passenger traffic is expected to reach nearly 20 billion in 2042, double the 2024 projection.

In 2052, global passenger traffic is expected to reach close to 25 billion, approximately 2.5 times the
2024 projection, according to the ACI World Airport Traffic Forecasts (WATF) 2023-2052 that provides
insights into the long-term airport traffic demand in over 141 countries across the globe. By 2040,

airports in the Middle East will handle 1.1 billion passengers, with the Middle East and Asia-Pacific
accounting for 58 percent of global air passenger demand. IATA says the Middle East airlines earned a
record US$23.1 in profit per passenger in 2024, triple the average net profit per passenger for global
airlines of US$6.4 in 2024 and US$7.9 in 2023.

The Middle East airlines will end 2024 with an estimated US$5.3 billion in net profit, up from a previous

forecast of US$3.8 billion, and an increase from US$3.1 billion in net profit in 2023. Regional airlines,
particularly in the Arabian Gulf, have a strong year of profitability amid continued strong demand for air
travel in 2024, a push to increase international tourist arrivals, investment in airport upgrades, and
government policies designed to boost the aviation sector’s contribution to the GDP. Airlines in the

Middle East are forecast to earn US$5.9 billion in net profit in 2025, with profit per passenger soaring to
US$23.9, more than triple the global average of US$7 forecast in 2025.

Cirium, the world’s most popular source of aviation analytics, remarked in the latest report: “The region’s
aviation industry, long a symbol of ambition and growth, is undergoing a remarkable transformation that
promises to reshape the future of air travel. With a commitment to passenger experience, the Middle

East is poised to set new standards for the global aviation community.” It added: “Innovation is not
limited to the development of new technologies. The Middle East’s aviation industry is also pioneering
new approaches to training and passenger experience. In the coming years, expect to see even more

groundbreaking advancements emerging from the region.”

It added: “From the development of hydrogen-powered aircraft to the implementation of seamless,
touchless travel experiences, the Middle East’s aviation industry is pushing the boundaries. The Middle
East’s aviation success story is a testament to the power of vision, collaboration, and innovation. As the
region continues to invest in its infrastructure and technologies, it is laying the foundation for a brighter,

more sustainable future. With its eyes fixed firmly on the horizon, the Middle East is ready to take the
global aviation industry to new heights.”

-Ends-

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