Rise in demand for travel will see commercial airlines recruiting and training 558,000 new pilots over the next 20 years, with about 40 per cent of those pilots needed in the Asia Pacific region, said a report.

Similarly, around 609,000 new airplane maintenance technicians will be hired, with Asia Pacific again becoming home to the biggest portion - 238,000 technicians or 39 per cent, said an AFP report.

Following closely behind were North America and Europe, with 95,000 new hires projected for both regions over the next 20 years.

Middle East was listed third with 60,000 new pilots, followed by Latin America (+47,000), Africa (+18,000) and Russia/CIS (+17,000).

The increase in staff requirements is in anticipation of a projected 38,000 new aircraft that will be added to the global fleet over the next 20 years, the report said.

Compared with the company’s 2014 outlook, pilot demand was up more than four per cent and demand for technicians rose about five per cent.

North America was second as far as new technician staff needed, with 113,000, followed by Europe (+101,000), Middle East (+66,000), Latin America (+47,000) and Africa and Russia/CIS (both +22,000), it said. – TradeArabia News Service