UAE at 50: Aviation industry flies towards sustainable and tech-driven growth – The National

UAE at 50: Aviation industry flies towards sustainable and tech-driven growth – The National

The UAE's aviation industry has soared to great heights since the country welcomed its first travellers in the 1960s, developing over the decades into a global powerhouse for air connectivity and standing in the post-Covid era at the cusp of a changing landscape with plans for sustainable and technology-driven future growth.

The local aviation industry's development over the decades, starting with a sand-compacted runway in Dubai International Airport in 1960 and the first flights of Emirates airline with two wet-leased aircraft in 1985, has transformed the nation from a fishing and pearl-diving spot into a global centre for air transport.

"The development of the UAE as a global aviation powerhouse started with a bold vision in the 1960s Collaboration. Careful planning and open competition have played a key role in the rise as a global aviation hub over the past few decades," said Linus Bauer, founder and managing director of Bauer Aviation Advisory.