Mikail Houari, president of Africa and Middle East at Airbus -interview
How is Airbus supporting its current fleet of aircraft in the region in terms of maintenance and upgrades while ensuring optimal performance for your airline customers? Can you share some innovations or strategies you’re implementing?
At Airbus, we are committed to supporting our customers in maintaining the highest standards of aircraft maintenance to ensure optimal performance. Our teams conduct comprehensive technical reviews across all Airbus programs, reinforcing our commitment to excellence.
Airbus Services offers advanced solutions for the entire aircraft lifecycle, including digital capabilities, which support turning unscheduled maintenance into planned maintenance, improving aircraft reliability. Our real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance innovations help customers anticipate and manage maintenance, saving time and reducing costs by preventing delays and increasing efficiency.
According to Airbus’ latest Global Services Forecast, the Middle East’s commercial aircraft services market will more than double in value by 2042. What key factors are driving this growth?
With the regional market expected to grow to $28 billion by 2042, registering a 4.4 percent average annual growth, it will exceed the global average of 3.6 percent. With the Middle East’s strategic location and home to five of the world’s largest aviation cities — including Dubai and Abu Dhabi — this growth will primarily be driven by the rise in annual air traffic, which is set to increase by 4.6 percent in the region. There is also a growing requirement for more digitally enabled and connected aircraft, as well as a demand for more sustainable solutions.
How are you capitalizing on this market expansion? And with the anticipated growth in demand, how are you planning to scale up your production capabilities in the region to meet future needs?
Over the next 20 years, we anticipate a global demand for more than 42,000 new aircraft, with approximately 3,700 needed in the Middle East.
This will drive a significant increase in workforce requirements. We foresee a need for 72,000 new technicians, 71,000 new pilots, and 124,000 additional cabin crew.
To meet this growth, we are enhancing our regional capabilities to stay close to our customers. For instance, we are expanding our training facilities in the UAE and Saudi Arabia through our partnership with PSAA, providing localized training solutions for pilots and technicians.
Regarding the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), can you share your initiatives and collaborations that aim to increase the adoption of SAF in the region? How do you see this impacting the region’s sustainability goals?
Airbus integrates sustainability across all operations, from design to end-of-life processes, focusing on disruptive technologies like hydrogen-powered aircraft and increasing sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) usage.
Our aircraft can already operate on up to 50 percent SAF, with a goal of 100 percent by 2030.
Our collaboration with several operators in the Middle East utilizing SAFs and optimized flight paths highlights the region’s commitment to sustainability. Additionally, our recent participation in the consortium to evaluate alternative fuel production in the Sultanate of Oman underscores our proactive approach to local sustainable initiatives.
What initiatives does Airbus have in place to support the training and development of local aviation professionals in the region?
For decades, we have collaborated closely with local and regional public and private sector organizations to nurture, develop, and inspire local talent. Our initiatives include internships, apprenticeships, and scholarships to support the next generation, ensuring our local professionals meet global standards by working with regulatory bodies.
We have multiple agreements, including with Mubadala Investment Company, to provide internship opportunities for Emirati senior university students in engineering. We also partner with the American University of Sharjah’s School of Business to offer internships in diverse departments such as communications, finance, and maintenance operations.

Viewed By: