Staff Writer
Supply chain failures were a focal point at IATA’s recent Annual General Meeting.
“The aircraft order backlog is over 18,000. And the average fleet age has reached a record 15.2 years. Moreover, being short over 5,000 more fuel-efficient replacement aircraft that airlines had counted on, means missed efficiency gains, not to mention higher lease rates and increased maintenance costs. In total, supply chain failures cost airlines at least $11 billion in 2025. Today’s higher fuel prices will only make that worse,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general in his report on the Air Transport Industry.
“Alongside aircraft delivery delays, engine durability issues, shortages of materials and spare parts, and constrained maintenance capacity are disrupting airline operations. Addressing these challenges will require practical action and cooperation across the aviation value chain,” said Stuart Fox, IATA’s director of flight and technical operations.
Fox presented the symposium with measures which could contribute to improving the situation including enhanced supply chain visibility and open up the aftermarket.
IATA called for more manufacturers to commit to key principles included in the IATA-CFM agreement in support of greater aftermarket competition by reinforcing access to third-party MRO services and alternative parts, and approved repairs.
IATA’s cooperation with the International Airlines Technical Pool (IATP) to help airlines improve visibility of, and access to, aircraft parts, and making MRO SmartHub available to airlines at no cost through a data participation program, are two examples of initiatives supporting this priority.
IATA urged a review of recruitment, training, and licensing maintenance technicians to reduce timelines, expand reach, and improve job stability.
Demand for maintenance technicians is expected to grow as evidenced by Boeing’s estimation that 710 000 new technicians will be needed over the next 20 years.
Increasing training capacity, reducing unnecessary qualification bottlenecks, and creating greater recognition of skills across borders will all help to fill this gap.
“The supply chain is under real pressure, but this is not a reason for pessimism. It is a reason for action. These four priorities alone are not complete solutions. But they would be an important step for OEMs, suppliers, MROs, lessors, regulators, and airlines working together to achieve the resilient aerospace supply chains that global connectivity needs,” said Fox.
“This is not about delaying safety. It is about making safety deliverable. Global safety improvements require globally coordinated implementation timelines that reflect certification, equipment availability, and installation capacity,” he added.
