Power Letters 2024: High-value aviation to drive growth in MET, says GE Aerospace

The year 2024 is projected to be a milestone year for passenger traffic, with overall travel numbers expected to reach 9.4 billion passengers – surpassing pre-pandemic levels for the first time.

Aviation continues to be a dynamic and important sector of the global economy. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Middle East, one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world, which is all set to expand its regional fleet by 5.1 per cent annually over the next decade.

The sector has developed quickly over the last four decades, especially in the Middle East and Türkiye. Passenger and fleet numbers have steadily risen as aviation infrastructure has improved.

The strength of the regional aviation industry became evident with the pace of recovery in the Middle East, which was the first global region to see international air travel arrivals surpass pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2023. And in Türkiye, Turkish Airlines became the first European carrier to exceed pre-pandemic levels, with passenger traffic by the middle of 2022 up nearly 12 per cent over 2019.

A conducive business growth environment, expansion of regional carriers, and new tourism and business travel strategies by individual countries are supporting the sector to grow and thrive.

With airlines in the region continuously looking to the future, GE Aerospace recorded strong demand for engines and services at the 2023 Paris and Dubai Airshows, a testament to the importance of the robust regional aviation industry in the broader story of economic growth.

Regional carriers are aviation leaders in innovation

From a global perspective, airlines in this part of the world are also leaders when it comes to innovation, advancements, and technology.

As the sector takes bold steps towards decarbonisation, there is an ongoing focus on sustainability, with innovations in materials, propulsion systems, and autonomous technologies revolutionising both aircraft design and performance while also driving fuel efficiency.

At GE Aerospace in the region, we are building local capabilities, developing advanced technologies, and supporting some of the largest fleets in the world to shape the future of flight.

In the UAE for instance, our multi-faceted collaborations with Etihad Airways and Emirates cuts across engineering, maintenance, digital solutions, and sustainability to help support the carriers’ commitments to reduce carbon emissions and enhance operational efficiencies.

Home-grown innovations pioneered at our Middle East Tech Center and the Turkish Technology Center are building the region’s expertise in next-generation technologies.

GE Aerospace is also supporting knowledge transfer and localised capabilities through maintenance services and training at the Emirates Engineering and Maintenance Centre in Al Warsan, and our On Wing Support facilities in Dubai South and Doha.

The sector-specific innovations that are transforming aviation today also have broader applications across industries, driving growth and creating a ripple effect of development and technology advancements across diverse economic sectors.

In MENA and Türkiye, aviation is uniquely positioned as a growth engine. For every person directly employed by the aviation sector or aviation-enabled tourism in the region, the industry supports an additional 4.6 jobs.

Similarly, for every $1 directly spent in the air transport sector, $2.10 is spent in the broader economy. In the coming years, this economic impact is set to grow even further as regional carriers continue to expand their lens and leadership as global transportation hubs.

The writer is GE Aerospace’s VP – Sales and Marketing and general manager for the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Türkiye, Russia and CIS.