Image: Airbus

A forecast from Airbus has projected demand for 1,180 aircraft of over 100 seats in size for African airlines over the next 20 years.

880 of these will be single-aisle types with 300 widebodies. Airbus expects to be awarded at least 50% of these orders when they materialise.

Market share

Airbus currently has 37% market share in Africa with 265 aircraft in operation with 36 of the continent’s airlines. It has 42% of the order backlog in Africa, totalling 41 aircraft. Airbus expects to win at least 50% of these orders when they materialise.

Joep Ellers, airline marketing director Africa for Airbus, said: “The future is bright for Africa, with economic growth faster than the world average, the fastest growing population in the world, urbanisation and middle-class development, the attractiveness for inbound tourism, strong potential of outbound and intra-Africa tourism, a potential from liberalisation (SAATM, the Single African Air Transport Market) and low-cost carrier development.

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