Airlines in the Asia-Pacific region will take delivery of around 9,370 new aircraft over the next 20 years, according to the latest market forecast by Airbus. Valued at US$1.3 trillion, the deliveries will account for 34 per cent of all new aircraft with more than 100 seats entering service worldwide over the forecast period, with the region overtaking North America and Europe as the world's largest air transport market.

The latest forecast for the region was presented at the Singapore Airshow by John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer, Customers, Airbus.

Reflecting the concentration of growing populations around the main urban centres, Airbus predicts that the region will continue to lead global demand for widebody aircraft as the most efficient way to meet rising traffic and overcome capacity constraints at airports. This, combined with replacement needs, will see carriers in the region acquire around 3,650 new widebody aircraft, representing 42 per cent of all widebody deliveries worldwide. These will include some 730 very large aircraft, such as the A380, for the busiest routes and around 2,920 mid-size widebodies, such as the A330 and new A350 XWB, for medium capacity long range and regional services.