New research from Gama Aviation plc, the global aviation services company, reveals that 56% of the Middle East’s fleet of business aircraft are classified as medium to heavy, and 14% as business jet airliners.
Gama Aviation’s research reveals that there are some 794 business aircraft in the Middle East, and one in five of these (161) were delivered between 2011 and 2015.
Gama Aviation’s research reveals that Saudi Arabia has the biggest fleet of business aircraft in the Middle East, with 187 (23.6% of the region’s total), followed by Turkey (157 and 19.8%) and the UAE (131 and 16.5%). These three countries also accounted for 69% of all business aircraft deliveries between 2011 and 2015.
Middle Eastern business aircraft fleet and breakdown, March 2016
| Country | Business aircraft fleet size | Market share | Share of fleet comprising medium, heavy and airliner jets | All business aviation deliveries, 2011-2015 |
| Saudi Arabia | 187 | 23.6% | 74.9% | 43 |
| Turkey | 157 | 19.8% | 65.0% | 36 |
| United Arab Emirates | 131 | 16.5% | 73.3% | 32 |
| Iran | 46 | 5.8% | 56.5% | 1 |
| Jordan | 30 | 3.8% | 73.3% | 6 |
| Kuwait | 30 | 3.8% | 93.3% | 5 |
| Qatar | 28 | 3.5% | 92.9% | 13 |
| Lebanon | 24 | 3.0% | 70.8% | 3 |
| Oman | 16 | 2.0% | 93.8% | 8 |
| Bahrain | 14 | 1.8% | 78.6% | 1 |
| Rest of the Middle East | 131 | 16.5% | 51.9% | 13 |
| All Middle East | 794 | 100.0% | 69.4% | 161 |
Martin Ringrose, Gama Aviation’s managing director for the Middle East region, commented: “The Middle East business aviation market is growing, and as a global business, it’s one of our major focus areas. We have been operating in the Middle East since 2006, and last year we announced that we will be expanding our operations at Sharjah International Airport in the UAE.”
