UAE and US aviation ties 'fastest growing in the world'

Non-stop commercial airline services between the United Arab Emirates and United States is the fastest growing bilateral aviation relationship in the world, according to a new report into business links between the two countries published today.

Commissioned for the US-UAE Business Council, the report shows how the rapid growth of the UAE's international airlines, Emirates and Etihad Airways, and new nonstop flights from US cities to Abu Dhabi and Dubai have led to a 1,500 per cent increase in flights since 2004.

"Since the first non-stop flight between the US and UAE took off from Dubai for New York's JFK airport in 2004, the commercial aviation relationship has played a key role in significantly boosting bilateral trade and investment between the two countries," said US-UAE Business Council president Danny Sebright.

"Boeing sells more passenger aircraft to the U.A.E.'s airlines than to any other customer. In 2012, airliner exports to the UAE from the US sustained over 38,000 jobs, and current orders from UAE airlines will over time support more than 200,000 high-paying US manufacturing jobs."

The report, entitled US-UAE Commercial Aviation: Taking Flight," analyses the economic impact of the bilateral commercial aviation relationship between the two countries.

In 2012, Emirates and Etihad Airways' procurement of American-made commercial aircraft and parts in tandem with the launch of nonstop routes to and from US cities, contributed more than $16 billion to the U.S. economy and supported approximately 100,000 jobs, said the report.

UAE airlines now fly nonstop between eight US gateways: New York City, Washington, DC, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. When, which offers nonstop service from Atlanta to Dubai, there are now 182 nonstop flights each week between the US and UAE. In 2013, these flights are expected to carry 2.4 million passengers.

Also, aviation represents the single biggest component of the overall US-UAE trade relationship, which last year saw exports from the US to the UAE increase to a record $22.57 billion, the report added.

It noted the UAE is the largest destination for US exports in the entire Middle East North Africa (MENA) region, a position it has held since 2009.

"The UAE's emergence as the Middle East's center for business and commerce, a deepening bilateral relationship, and the development of the UAE's two international airports, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, as key connecting hubs," added Mr Sebright.

"The UAE is the new geographic crossroads of the world, between east and west, and north and south. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are perfectly situated to serve as connecting hubs for traffic moving between the Americas and Europe to Asia, Africa and the Indian subcontinent.

About 60 per cent of the world's population lives within six flying hours of the UAE."