ME Business Jet Market “More Developed Than China Or Russia”

The Middle East is Airbus’ largest market for VVIP widebody aircraft and its business jet market is more developed than China or Russia, says Airbus Corporate Jet spokesman David Velupillai.

He made the point during a presentation in Dubai on Wednesday, designed to underline the importance of the region ahead of the Dubai Airshow 2013 next week.

Airbus will be displaying the Emirates Executive ACJ319 at the Airshow, the first business jet with 10 ‘mini suites’ – along the lines of its first class A380 suites – which comes with starlights in the ceiling and carpet and full-size shower. Airbus claims the ACJ has the widest and tallest cabin of any business jet.

“What we like about the Dubai Airshow is the ability to show the cabin,” he said. “Sometimes when we are showing the aircraft, you’ll see people walk in hunched, as they’ve been in other aircraft, but you don’t have to hunch up in the ACJ. Corporate jet customers are less fussed about the economics than they are on the cabin.”

A Constellation Aviation Services ACJ318 will also be on display, which can also carry 19 passengers like the ACJ319, but its cabin is slightly shorter.

Velupillai described the current market as “paradoxical” with strong demand among airlines offset by slow recovery in the more “challenging” corporate jet sector. “Overall I’d say we’re cautiously optimistic, the market has been changing for a few years now.”