KUALA LUMPUR (May 22): European plane maker Airbus has kept its long-term demand forecast for its new builds across Asia Pacific at 17,000 to 18,000 planes, said its president for Asia Pacific Anand Stanley.
Airbus’ 20-year projection of new build demand for the greater region has remained unchanged from pre-Covid-19 pandemic levels, which Stanley said is a "very optimistic projection which shows the vibrancy of the region".
“I think what’s going to end up really changing the demand portfolio [across Asia Pacific and Asean] over the next year is the reopening of China.
“What we see in Asia is one of the fastest growth rates in the world,” Stanley said during the Airbus media roundtable here on Monday (May 22).
Demand for Airbus’ new builds is split 80:20 between single-aisle and wide-body aircraft, which Stanley said is similar to that before the pandemic.
Wide-body units still make up a core part of fleets in Asia due to the vast island systems that are not accessible via land transport such as trains, he said. Locally, Malaysia Aviation Group Bhd (MAG) has ordered 20 A330neo wide-body planes, which was announced in the third quarter of last year.
“There is also a continued trend post-pandemic in the demand for cargo aircraft or freighter,” he added. The aircraft manufacturer launched the A350 freighter during the pandemic, which is the largest in its fleet.
The aviation industry, which was hit hard by the pandemic, also witnessed one of the strongest recoveries with airlines like Singapore Airlines announcing record profits and booming demand since last year.
That said, some airlines have reviewed their business models having weathered through the tough period, with some opting for plane leases rather than direct purchases.
This, however, does not change the prospects of Airbus, said Airbus customer services head for Asia Pacific and Malaysia chief representative Raymond Lim.
“It will not disturb production at all. You must remember the leased aircraft are new aircraft as well, so from a production point of view, there is no change in our approach,” Lim said.
Proposed four H175 choppers to MMEA
In Malaysia, ahead of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2023 (LIMA 2023), Stanley said Airbus has recently made a proposal to supply four H175 helicopters to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) to support maritime security operations.
The H175 is already in use by several customers in Malaysia, Stanley said. The country currently sees the services of 95 Airbus helicopters, and six military transport aircraft for a variety of missions, he added.
“Malaysia is our largest supplier base in Southeast Asia, with 14 local companies contributing to our programmes,” Stanley added.
The H175 is a seven-tonne class, twin engine helicopter with maximum range of 1,083km and flight time of up to 5 hours and 45 minutes, capable of flying up to 18 passengers excluding two pilots.
MMEA received the nod from the Ministry of Home Affairs back in 2020 for the procurement of four helicopters worth up to RM600 million, according to reports.