{"id":48041,"date":"2026-10-22T10:38:42","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T09:38:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebusinessdesk.com\/south-west\/?p=48041"},"modified":"2026-10-22T10:38:42","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T09:38:42","slug":"aircraft-maker-airbus-projects-global-freighter-fleet-to-almost-double-by-2045","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebusinessdesk.com\/south-west\/news\/48041-aircraft-maker-airbus-projects-global-freighter-fleet-to-almost-double-by-2045","title":{"rendered":"Aircraft maker Airbus projects global freighter fleet to almost double by 2045"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The worldwide fleet of dedicated freighter aircraft will grow 46%, from 2,360 at the moment, to 3,460 by 2045, claims aircraft manufacturer, Airbus.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The group employs around 6,500 staff at its Broughton plant, near Chester, where it makes wings for all its commercial aircraft, and more than 2,700 staff in Filton, Bristol, where it designs wings, landing gear and fuel systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Its 2026 Cargo Global Market Forecast says there will be a requirement for 2,670 freighters mainly to replace older models (1,580) and also for growth (1,090).<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Of the 2,670 freighters required, 1,140 will be single-aisle, 860 mid-size widebodies, and 670 large widebody aircraft.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some 970 aircraft will be new-build and 1,700 will be converted from passenger aircraft.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">With long term trade projected to expand at a 2.9% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), global air cargo traffic is forecast to grow at 3.2% annually over the next two decades.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Despite high fuel prices, ongoing geopolitical disruptions, and supply chain constraints, air freight has demonstrated remarkable resilience.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">While air cargo accounts for less than one per cent of global trade volume by weight, it carries more than 30% of total trade by value, proving it to be a vital mode of transport for goods requiring the quickest routes to market.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In the past three years, computers and high technology goods in air cargo have doubled in value, reaching 15% in 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Other drivers include e-commerce and air cargo seen as an alternative to shipping for some goods.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Asia-Pacific will continue to be the leading region for international air cargo traffic, with routes to North America being the largest (3.8% annual growth rate), followed by Europe. These routes can be efficiently operated by the newest freighter, the A350F, the manufacturer said.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Regional demand for the 2,670 freighter deliveries will be led by North America and Asia-Pacific, requiring 925 and 850 aircraft, respectively, together accounting for two thirds of total global demand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Demand in Europe and CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) will reach 515 aircraft, followed by Latin America with 165, the Middle East with 125, and Africa with 90.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">An increasing number of previous-generation freighters will be retired and replaced by highly efficient next-generation freighters in the next 20 years.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This includes new-build models such as the A350F, as well as passenger-to-freighter conversions across the A320, A321, and A330 families, helping operators lower fuel consumption and reduce carbon emissions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Last week Airbus predicted that total demand for aviation services will double from 2026 reaching an estimated value of more than $420bn by 2045.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The group\u2019s Global Services Forecast (GSF) 2026-2045 said these services, which sustain the aviation sector\u2019s robustness, will grow at 3.8% CAGR, supporting\u00a0 an increasing world aircraft fleet of 45,550 by 2045.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Over the same 20-year period, passenger numbers will double to 10 billion, it forecast.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Air cargo carries more than 30% of total trade by value<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":217725,"featured_media":48042,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"coauthors":[46761],"class_list":["post-48041","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-manufacturing","tag-bristol-and-bath","tag-cheshire-and-warrington","tag-featured-story"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - 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