Airbus's Confidence: "Targeting Asia-Pacific for the Next 20 Years with A330 and A350"

Rodrigo Lezama, Airbus Wide-Body Marketing Head
"Sharp Regional Economic Growth Drives Surge in Travel Demand"

Airbus has forecasted a significant increase in aircraft demand in the Asia-Pacific region over the next 20 years. The company plans to respond to the growing demand by promoting its widebody aircraft.

Rodrigo Lezama, Head of Widebody Marketing at Airbus, made this announcement at a press briefing held on the 19th at the Airbus Korea office in Jung-gu, Seoul.

Lezama stated, "By 2042, 46.3% (18,920 units) of the global new aircraft demand will come from the Asia-Pacific region," adding, "Among these, the demand for widebody aircraft is expected to be 3,400 units." Widebody aircraft are large planes with two passenger aisles between seats. They are deployed on medium- to long-haul routes such as Southeast Asia, the Americas, and Europe.

He further predicted that about 70% of the widebody demand in the Asia-Pacific region will be for new aircraft, while 30% will be for replacing existing aircraft due to decarbonization policies.

Rodrigo Lezama Gadarama, Airbus Widebody Marketing Director, is making a presentation at a press conference on the morning of the 19th.
[Photo by Airbus]

Airbus views this region as one of the fastest-growing aviation markets worldwide. According to data from IATA (International Air Transport Association), the Asia-Pacific region's economic growth rate is 5.1% annually, higher than the global average of 3.6%. Based on this high growth rate, travel demand is expected to increase. Additionally, there is significant demand for replacing aging aircraft.

Lezama announced that Airbus will target the Asia-Pacific market with its flagship widebody models, the A330neo and A350. He explained that these next-generation aircraft offer 25% improved fuel efficiency compared to previous models and emit less carbon, making them an ideal fit. Currently, about 560 older A330 models are operated in the region, and replacing them with the A330neo would not require additional pilot training. Regarding the A350, more than 260 units are already operated by Asia-Pacific airlines, with 136 additional units scheduled for delivery.

Lezama also forecasted that the Asia-Pacific cargo market will require 250 new aircraft, all of which will be widebody models. This accounts for 27% of the global new cargo aircraft demand over the next 20 years. He expressed confidence in meeting cargo market demand, citing a recent order from Singapore Airlines for Airbus’s widebody freighter, the A350F.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.