The Middle East's regional aircraft fleet is expected to more than double in size to 3,700 by 2044, an Airbus official said on Sunday.The European planemaker expects passenger traffic in the Middle East to grow at a compound annual rate of 4.4% over the next two decades, Grainne van den Berg, Airbus Head of Marketing in Africa and the Middle East, said in a press briefing. This is a developing story.