The aerobridge market is expected to witness robust growth by 2027 driven by surging utilization across the globe. Additionally, rising prominence of the product at airports with harsh weather conditions is speculated to further fuel market expansion over the forecast timeline.
After the COVID-19 outbreak, to curb the spread of the infection, numerous airports employed aerobridges to seamlessly scan passengers flying from different parts of the world for the novel coronavirus. As a result, widespread usage of aerobridges during the pandemic has been favorable for industry growth worldwide.
Recently, industry players have been expanding their presence to accommodate the burgeoning demand for air travel, particularly in leading and emerging marketplaces. For instance, in July 2021, Clark International Airport, an international airport in the Philippines, announced the completion of its new terminal in the northern part of the country.
The airport announced that the new terminal was equipped with an annual capacity of eight million passengers, which is twice the existing capacity of the airport. The new terminal, a four-story complex, includes contactless baggage handling and passenger check-ins. Notably, the terminal owns 18 aerobridges and stretches to 11,000 square meters of land. Subsequently, increasing prevalence of aerobridges across airports globally has impelled business expansion significantly.
For comprehensive assessment, the aerobridge market has been segmented based on wall structure, movement, elevation system, tunnel sections, product type, and region. In terms of product type, the market has been bifurcated into apron drive, T-bridge, noseloader, commuter bridge, and others.
The T-bridge sub-segment is estimated to progress at a CAGR of around 1.2% over the assessment period to amass a sizable revenue share in the aerobridge market by the end 2027. In T-bridge, the horizontal telescopic section is connected to the aircraft door. It offers a convenient passage to elderly and disabled persons, which is likely to bolster product adoption in the coming years.
These are installed at airports where geometric conditions are not in favor of noseloader jet bridges. These jet bridges need simple service & maintenance due to their less complex structure and are also used at airports that experience extreme weather conditions, which is set to fuel segmental growth through the following years.
In the regional landscape, Middle East & Africa is projected to account for over 15% of the aerobridge market by the end of the 2027, expanding at a considerable pace over the forecast timeframe. The strategic location of the region and liberalized market conditions are anticipated to propel product demand across MEA in the forthcoming years.
Moreover, the region has become an international hub as it connects long-haul flights from the East and West. Strategic growth in airport traffic, along with capacity expansions, has facilitated the growth of the MEA aerobridge market in recent years and is likely to positively influence the sector's development in the future.