The 2015 Dubai Air Show opened for business on Sunday. Cities in the United Arab Emirates like Dubai and Abu Dhabi have become major aviation hubs over the last two decades and carriers based in the Middle East including Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways have become powerful global players. As a result, the Dubai Air Show, which is held every two years at the Al Makhtoum International Airport located in the desert just outside the city, has become a major industry trade event on par with the Paris and Farnborough airshows.