PARIS: US aviation giant Boeing is anticipating the global demand for aircraft to double by 2042, slightly raising its 20-year industrywide forecast, reported German news agency dpa.
Boeing said on Sunday it projected airlines would need 48,600 jets in the next two decades, compared to a projection of 41,170 aircraft a year ago.
Darren Hulst, head of marketing for Boeing’s commercial aircraft division, said that the trend will be towards longer planes with more seats or closer seating.
Aircraft would need to be about 20 per cent larger by 2042, Hulst told journalists ahead of the International Paris Air Show, which will kick off on Monday in Le Bourget, near Paris.
The forecast of the US aviation group matches that of European plane maker Airbus, which earlier in the week forecast that the global fleet would double to 46,560 aircraft by 2042.
Airbus’ projection only took into consideration jets with at least 100 seats, while Boeing’s included slightly smaller regional jets. – BERNAMA-dpa