Middle-East and Africa Inflight Entertainment and Connectivity Market Size

MEA Inflight Entertainment and Connectivity Market Analysis

The Middle-East and Africa Inflight Entertainment and Connectivity Market size is estimated at USD 121.37 million in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 224.22 million by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 13.06% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

The COVID-19 pandemic had a major effect on the Middle East and Africa Inflight Entertainment and Connectivity Market. The onset of the pandemic led to various countries within the Middle East and Africa region closing their borders, imposing travel restrictions, and suspending flights in an effort to contain the virus. The border and travel restrictions led to a decline in the number of air traffic passengers. Moreover, the demand for purchasing new aircraft witnessed a decline and this led to an overall decline in the demand for advanced inflight entertainment systems leading to various manufacturers of inflight entertainment systems witnessing huge losses. On the other hand, with the decline in the COVID-19 pandemic, various windows of opportunities have once again opened up in the market. With various countries in the European Union lifting travel bans and restrictions, there has been an increase in the number of air passenger traffic in the European region in the few years. The increase in air passenger traffic has also propelled growth in the production of newer aircraft to accommodate air passenger traffic. This led to various countries in the Middle East and African region planning out programs in order to equip their aircraft with the latest inflight entertainment systems thus providing an opportunity for inflight entertainment system manufacturers to develop advanced systems and increase their profit margin. Thus, such developments will lead to the market witnessing significant growth during the forecast period.

The Middle East has some of the most profitable airlines in the world. The increasing demand for IFEC systems in the region is mainly due to the growing passenger traffic in the region. Many FSCs in the Middle East possess higher seat occupancy rates for first and business-class cabins, in which the passengers demand better IFEC provisions. Airlines in the region are traditionally known for their better passenger amenities compared to airlines from other regions in the world. The high level of competition among the Middle Eastern airlines is also driving investments in the market.