Market Trends of Europe Aircraft Lighting Industry
Commercial Aircraft Segment to Witness the Highest Growth During the Forecast Period
The rise in air passenger traffic, especially in southern and eastern Europe, propels the demand for new commercial aircraft. Several countries invest in developing their national aviation infrastructure by building new regional airports to cater to people's air travel needs. With the construction of new airports, airline operators in the region are expanding their fleet to serve new destination pairs, and this has driven the demand for new aircraft, thereby creating a simultaneous demand for aircraft lighting systems, both interior and exterior.
The region’s airlines are also transitioning to high-quality LED lighting, as it eliminates many of the shortcomings of the current interior cabin lighting in terms of performance, dependability, durability, and weight. The widespread implementation of LED Ambient Lighting (LED) on next-generation aircraft has helped keep cabin modernization activities ongoing while maintaining consistent service quality.
It is anticipated that the vast number of aircraft orders placed by various airlines will drive the market as most airlines opt for innovative cabin lighting to enhance passengers' experience. Major airlines, such as Rostec, Ryanair, Wizz Air, Air France, Lufthansa, and Turkish Airlines, have ordered large aircraft. For instance, in October 2023, easyJet reportedly ordered 257 jets from Airbus valued at nearly USD 20 billion. The LCC airline also plans to increase the average number of seats per flight from 179 to the low 200s by 2034. Such aircraft orders are expected to boost the demand for aircraft lighting during the forecast period.
United Kingdom is Expected to Account for a Major Market Share
The UK is one of the most attractive markets for airlines operating in Europe. It is also a gateway to many European destinations, as is evident from the high volume of air passenger traffic at UK airports. In 2023, Heathrow Airport was the busiest airport in the country, with a passenger traffic of nearly 79.2 million.
The increasing air passenger traffic has encouraged airlines to initiate fleet modernization and expansion programs to serve a growing clientele and operate on new routes effectively. On this note, as of July 2022, British Airways expects the deliveries of its latest aircraft, Boeing B777X, between 2026 and 2028. The airline has significantly improved the amenities inside the cabin, including more than 16 million variations of ambient lighting designed to complement the time of day and the level of light outside to help the passengers combat the effects of jet lag.
Additionally, new product development in the field of aircraft lighting is also driving the market's growth prospects. For instance, in June 2023, UK-based STG Aerospace announced the launch of the curve, a new flexible cabin lighting product from STG Aerospace's universal lighting family intended for installation onboard business jets.
