Aviation practice. Is Europe or the Middle East better region?

Question

Hi, I'm interested in the Aviation practice at MBB. Which region would be the best for gaining a ton of exposure?

I am from Eastern Europe, where the aviation sector is smaller. Will there be enough projects if I were to work, for example, from the Warsaw office?

On the other hand, in the Middle East (GCC countries), there are emerging airlines and quite a lot of new airports being built. I am wondering, if I were to later transition into a role at a European airline, would my experience from the ME be relevant?

I would appreciate any insights into the aviation consulting work either in Europe or the Middle East. What are the projects like, and what have you noticed are the most common exit routes?

Thanks a lot.

Answer 1

hi Chris!

If your goal is maximum aviation exposure, the Middle East is stronger: Saudi, UAE, and Qatar have nonstop work in airline growth, new airports, MRO expansion, and national‑carrier strategy. You’ll see more volume and bigger, faster projects than in Europe. Warsaw and most of Eastern Europe have limited aviation pipelines, so you’d get only occasional cases. Experience from the Middle East is fully relevant for later moves to European airlines, strategy, network, ops, and transformation work all translate well. Typical projects are network strategy, airport expansion, MRO optimisation, and commercial turnaround. Common exits are airlines, airports, OEMs, and aviation authorities. If aviation is your priority, ME > Europe for sheer exposure.

Best, Alessa

Answer 2

Great question — and a smart one to ask early. The reality is that aviation consulting is incredibly concentrated in a few hubs. For MBB, the Middle East (Dubai, specifically) is the global center of gravity for aviation work, bar none. The sheer volume of projects around fleet, airports, and airline strategy in the GCC dwarfs what most European offices see.

If raw exposure and deal flow are your priority, the Middle East is the clear answer. You'll work on multi-billion-dollar infrastructure programs and airline transformations that simply don't exist in Eastern Europe. That said, the work is heavily weighted toward government-linked clients and growth-stage airlines — so your network and brand recognition will be strong, but the types of problems you solve can feel more repetitive than the strategic variety you'd get in a larger European office.

As for relevance to a European airline exit, yes, ME experience is very transferable. Airlines are global by nature, and the core skills (network planning, revenue management, cost optimization) are identical. The main caveat: European legacy carriers tend to hire from within their own region, so you may need to proactively network to make that pivot. It's doable — just don't expect it to happen passively.

If I were in your shoes, I'd aim for Dubai first for the learning curve, then plan a geographic shift after 2-3 years once you have the toolkit. Hope it helps!

Answer 3

Middle East gives you significantly more aviation exposure than Europe right now.

Why. Massive airline transformation (Emirates, Qatar, Saudia, Riyadh Air), huge airport infrastructure investment (King Salman, NEOM, Dubai DWC), and Vision 2030 tourism targets. Dubai and Riyadh are MBB aviation hubs with consistent project flow.

Europe is established but slower. Mostly restructuring, decarbonisation, and post-COVID recovery work. Eastern European offices like Warsaw do little aviation work, it flows through London, Frankfurt, Paris.

Your ME experience translates well to European carriers later. Lufthansa, KLM, IAG actively hire from MBB Dubai and Riyadh aviation teams.

Best path. 2 to 4 years in MBB Dubai or Riyadh, then a senior airline role in Europe.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Chris,

It's hard to say which place would be 'best' and even if there was a way of telling, it's not like there would certainly be an opportunity in that place right now.

So I suggest you prioritise the region also based on your background and the realistic possibilities of joining one place over another.

Re transferability of skills - I wouldn't worry about that. Most of the knowledge you'll accumulate won't only be tied to one region, but will have to do with the industry as a whole.

Best,
Cristian