Turkey to account for 20% of Europe-CIS new aircraft demand over 20 years, Airbus says

ISTANBUL, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Airbus expects Turkey to account for about 20% of demand for new passenger aircraft in Europe and the CIS over the next 20 years, requiring 1,800 new aircraft as passenger traffic grows, a senior Airbus executive said on Thursday.

Antonio Da Costa, Airbus vice president for market analysis and forecast, said the number of flights taken annually per person in Turkey was expected to triple to 3.1 by 2045, surpassing the regional average of 2.4.

"We expect to see the need for Turkey as a whole, 1,800 new aircraft to renew the fleet and especially grow at the rate that's expected," Da Costa said, adding that passenger traffic in Turkey was expected to grow by around 4.5% annually over the next 20 years, compared with 2.9% for the wider region.

"Our expectation is that the fleet of aircraft in Turkey overall, throughout all the airlines, will more than double over the next 20 years," Da Costa said.

According to Airbus' latest Global Market Forecast, Europe and the CIS region will need 8,190 new passenger aircraft by 2045, including 3,600 for growth and 4,590 for fleet renewal.

Da Costa said Istanbul's position as an international connecting hub continued to strengthen, driven by strong tourism demand and transit traffic.

Asked about the impact of the conflict in the Middle East on aviation demand, Da Costa said Turkey had benefited from traffic diversions away from parts of the Gulf region, attracting more tourists and connecting passengers.

"We do see an opportunity... there's more incoming tourists and more connecting passengers coming through Turkey due to the conflict in the Gulf," he said.

While expecting regional tensions to ease over time, Da Costa said he believed the additional traffic flowing through Turkey would support the country's longer-term growth.

(Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun, Editing by Ece Toksabay and Chizu Nomiyama )