Boeing secures 153 orders from Middle East.

Dubai: About 153, or 23.11 per cent of 662 net aircraft orders received by Boeing in 2008 originated from the Middle East, of which 115 were from the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), according to the US aircraft manufacturer.

The UAE remains the top source for the orders, with 99 aircraft, led by 50 B737-800s by FlyDubai - the new low-cost airline launched by the Dubai Government to tap into the growing budget aviation market and Abu Dhabi Government-owned Etihad Airways, which placed 45 aircraft last year.

The combined book value of the 95 aircraft orders stand at Dh47.71 billion ($13 billion) at list prices.

Although Etihad's order book is lower than that of FlyDubai, in terms of value, it outshines FlyDubai.

Etihad's 45 aircraft order to Boeing is valued at Dh33 billion ($9 billion) at list prices, while FlyDubai's order book stands at Dh14.6 billion ($4 billion) at list prices.

Both airlines are believed to have secured heavy discounts on the bulk purchase. Etihad also placed a Dh40 billion ($11 billion) order to purchase 55 Airbus at the Farnborough Airshow in July 2008.

Although the global aviation industry has taken a hit in recent times due to the financial meltdown, the Middle Eastern aviation sector, led by the GCC countries, is doing well, bucking the global trend.

The Boeing Company yesterday said it recorded 662 net commercial airplane orders, bringing its backlog of unfilled commercial orders to more than 3,700 aeroplanes.

"The Next-Generation 737 remained the company's best seller, with 484 chosen last year by customers from nearly every region of the world. Demand for the all-new 787 Dreamliner also remained strong with 93 ordered, primarily by Middle East customers," the company said in a statement.

The twin-aisle 777 captured 54 orders from customers in Europe, the Middle East, North America and Asia. The 767-300ER (Extended Range) logged 28 orders, and the 747-8 Intercontinental added three to the orders list.

During 2008, 375 aeroplanes were delivered to customers worldwide: 290 737s (including six Boeing business jets), 14 747s, 10 767s and 61 777s. Deliveries were affected by a strike that halted commercial production for several weeks.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) last month said that in 2009, the aviation industry could lose $2.5 billion.

"The outlook is bleak. The chronic industry crisis will continue into 2009 with $2.5 billion in losses. We face the worst revenue environment in 50 years," said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA's Director General and CEO.

IATA also updated its forecast for 2008 to a loss of $5 billion. This is slightly improved from the $5.2 billion loss projected in the association's September forecast primarily as a result of the rapid decline in fuel prices.

IATA said the Middle Eastern airlines will see losses double to $200 million. The challenge for the region will be to match capacity to demand as fleets expand and traffic slows - particularly for long-haul connections.

"While we clearly faced obstacles, 2008 also was a time of accomplishment at Commercial Airplanes," Scott Carson, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and chief executive officer, said in a statement, who noted that the 2008 order total was the eighth highest on record.

"We are leaders in commercial aviation and with that comes the responsibility to deliver the best value to our customers, our shareholders and our communities.

"With a balanced base of customers from all regions of the world, from airlines with varied business models, and with strong orders across our product line, we are now focused on executing this strong backlog position," Carson added.

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