The report attributes this gap to the massive and unprecedented expansion of airline fleets in the region, where demand for pilots is growing faster than the available supply. Most airlines in the Middle East rely on recruiting pilots from abroad. According to the report, regional airlines will need an additional 10,300 pilots by 2030, the largest deficit recorded in any region globally, at a time when the shortage in North America and Europe has begun to decline. Global consulting firm Oliver Wyman published its annual report titled 'Aviation Operations Brief 2025: Riding the Wave,' which revealed forecasts of a record wave of pilot shortages in the Middle East region.
