Boeing Upgrades 20-Year Demand For Narrowbodies In Southeast Asia

SINGAPORE— Boeing has raised its 20-year commercial aircraft demand forecast for Southeast Asia, projecting deliveries of 4,885 new aircraft through 2045—up from 4,720 in last year’s outlook.

David Schulte, Boeing Commercial Marketing MD for Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania, told Aviation Week that the increase is driven primarily by higher demand for single-aisle aircraft, which rose from 3,765 to 3,925 units. Growth is expected to center on larger narrowbody models in the 200-seat class, which continue to dominate the regional fleet at roughly 80%.

While demand for widebody aircraft edged down slightly from 920 to 910 units, other categories—including freighters and regional jets—are expected to see modest growth.

Passenger traffic within Southeast Asia is forecast to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.8% over the next two decades, with traffic to and from the broader Asia region growing 5.9%, and long-haul routes 4.2%.

Schulte highlighted the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam as key growth markets, particularly for more international point-to-point services. He also urged governments to continue investing in airport infrastructure, noting that Boeing’s forecast does not account for potential capacity constraints.

Despite the robust outlook, Boeing’s presence in the region’s narrowbody market remains limited. The Aviation Week Network Fleet Discovery database shows that of the 929 narrowbody aircraft currently in service in Southeast Asia, 618 are Airbus models. Of the 1,600 on order, 990 are also Airbus aircraft.

In early November, Vietjet Air converted their tentative order for 100 Airbus A321neos into firm orders, although the airline also has an on-going order for 200 737-MAX family aircraft.