60% of Aircraft Maintenance in Central Asia Outsourced to Foreign Providers
Central Asia’s aircraft maintenance industry is currently operating at a significant deficit, with local providers only covering 40% of the region’s maintenance requirements. This gap is highlighted by Dr. Axel Schauenburg of Lufthansa Consulting at the MRO Central Asia 2024 event in Uzbekistan’s Tashkent. According to Schauenburg, the remaining 60% of the demand, which amounts to $73 mln annually, is outsourced to foreign providers.
Growing Market with Increasing Fleet Sizes
Despite the current reliance on foreign providers, the local aircraft maintenance market is on a growth trajectory. Lufthansa Consulting reports that the market is expanding at a steady annual rate of 3.9%. Over the next decade, the market’s value is expected to rise from $174 mln in 2025 to $254 mln by 2035. This growth is attributed to the expanding air transportation sector in Central Asia and the increasing fleet size of local airlines.
Fleet Growth and Local Aircraft Composition
The regional aircraft fleet is also witnessing expansion, with an average annual growth rate of 3.9%. By 2030, the fleet size is projected to reach 374 aircraft. Notably, the majority of the fleet will consist of narrowbody aircraft, making up nearly two-thirds of the total. Widebody aircraft are expected to account for 19%, while the remaining portion will consist of regional jets and turboprops.
Largest Fleets in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan
Among the five countries in the region, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan possess the largest aircraft fleets. Kazakhstan leads with 114 aircraft, followed by Uzbekistan with 91, and Kyrgyzstan with 26. These nations have also implemented open skies policies, which have been instrumental in boosting international tourism and business activity.
The growth in the local aviation sector is expected to drive further demand for maintenance services, pushing the need for additional investment in the region’s maintenance infrastructure.
