The Dubai Airshow is the industry’s first major event since the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic almost two years ago. A trade fair with international reach which marks the resilience of air transport in the face of the worst crisis in its history, and more than ever, under pressure from the climate emergency.
The collapse in traffic in early spring 2020 has financially devastated airlines, forced to park hundreds of planes for lack of passengers. And if it is progressing month by month, air traffic was still showing last September, a decrease of 53% compared to its level of September 2019 before the pandemic. And it is expected to lose nearly $ 52 billion again this year, according to IATA. Difficult in these conditions to wait for mega orders of planes, as is usually the practice in these aeronautical high masses. However, Airbus and Boeing are arriving in force in Dubai.
And there we will beat a record. The American aircraft manufacturer comes with its entire fleet of commercial aircraft, including the 777X, not yet certified, but which will fly and for which two-thirds of the orders come from the Gulf airlines Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways. On this occasion, the Seattle manufacturer could announce the launch of the Freight version of this new aircraft, in response to the Airbus A350 freighter which will enter service in 2025. This 17th edition of the Dubai Airshow will also devote a large amount of space to the environment.
The United Arab Emirates intend to play a major role in this fight against global warming. Airbus has thus planned to present a model of a Zero Emissions aircraft, which will burn hydrogen, an ambitious project but whose release date remains very distant. Boeing will present its “Eco Demonstrator”, a 737 MAX serving as a flying test bench, to test new, greener technologies.
Remember that last October, IATA, which represents nearly 300 companies around the world, committed to net “zero emissions” of CO2 on the horizon. To finish this show, will be especially that of the reunion of the aeronautical community, more than 1,200 exhibitors coming from 148 countries are present today at the Dubai Airshow.