The Middle East continues to be the top market for Airbus corporate jets, accounting for around half of more than 170 aircraft ordered worldwide, a senior Airbus official has said.

David Velupillai, the European plane maker’s marketing director for executive and private aviation, said in Bahrain that 15 jets worth $1.5 billion were delivered in 2010 making it “a record year.”  He was tight-lipped on the number of aircraft that went to Middle East buyers, saying there were “several.”

The jets were ordered before the global economic recession began to bite, he said. Two were VIP wide-bodied A330/A340s, and 13 were A318 Elites and ACJ/A320 Prestiges. 

Airbus received orders for eight aircraft in 2010. Vellupillai refused to disclose the value and the precise number of buyers from the Middle East saying only that there were “some” from the region. The eight jets comprise seven from the A318 Elite and ACJ/A320 Prestige family and one widebody A330/A340.

One of Airbus’ important customers is the UAE’s Al Jaber Aviation, which in recent years ordered six aircraft and has taken delivery of one, an A318 Elite. The other five will be delivered in the next few years. Three of those are A 318 Elites and two are Airbus ACJ jets.

Airbus said Europe’s Comlux Aviation has two jets based in Bahrain for VIP charter flights.

Velupillai said most customers in the Middle East came from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Seventy per cent of the aircraft ordered by Middle East buyers were large-sized as compared with 15 per cent ordered by other world markets.

One of the Middle East customers is Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal who ordered an A380 as a “Flying Palace” in 2007. The double-decker is large enough to hold a 15-seater boardroom as well as luxury trappings including a Jacuzzi and a games room. The shell of the giant jet was said to cost around $319 million at the time it was ordered.

Velupillai said delivery of the prince’s jet was “still a little way in the future.”

The last two years have been difficult for many aircraft makers but now that the economy is showing signs of improving there might be better sales, said the official. He said use of executive jets helped companies “grow faster” because of the time saved by senior decision makers and the convenience that corporate jet travel afforded. 

“Corporate jets are a largely unseen enabler of company success and growth as well as supporting the business of government, and Airbus’ modern aircraft family is a key contributor in both fields,” he quoted Airbus COO for customers John Leahy as saying.

“Airbus Corporate jets have had a strong presence in the Middle East since the mid-1980s where they won their first sale, and the region remains the largest market in the world for widebody corporate jets,” Leahy said.

Velupillai said corporate jets were now available through more than 10 operators in America, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Middle East.

 “These Airbus corporate jets can carry more people than traditional business jets as well as having cabins that are around twice as wide and unequaled in comfort, space and freedom of movement which makes them ideal for carrying business teams, extended families and government delegations.

An Airbus operator in Australia conducts chartered flights for scientists to Antarctica where the landing strip is specially treated for receiving aircraft, said Velupillai.

He described China a market of potential for Airbus, the plane maker already having a customer in Deerjet. – TradeArabia News Service