PARIS, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Airbus is predicting

3.6% average growth in aircraft services over the next 20 years,

creating jobs for 2.35 million pilots, mechanics and other

workers to meet air travel growth.

The European planemaker is one of several aerospace

companies that have made a push into services alongside their

traditional manufacturing roles in recent years to compete with

independent providers for higher-margin aftermarket work.

Airbus said it expected the total value of the services

market to reach $311 billion a year by 2044.

Demand for so-called off-wing maintenance or repair shop

visits will more than double in value to $218 billion over the

period, with on-wing or light inspections and other routine

maintenance rising to $34 billion from $21 billion.

Airbus executives said global supply chains, which feed

repair networks as well as factories for new planes, are still

in recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic but are improving.

The core Airbus planemaking business made 10% of its

revenues from services in 2024.

In June, Boeing ( BA ) forecast a total demand for $4.7 trillion

worth of commercial services spread over the next 20 years based

on an annual average growth of 3.8%.