The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has outlined four priorities to address ongoing disruptions in the global aerospace supply chain, warning that delays and shortages are costing airlines billions of dollars and undermining operational efficiency.
Speaking at the inaugural IATA World Maintenance and Engineering Symposium in Madrid on 24 June, industry leaders highlighted persistent problems ranging from aircraft delivery delays and engine durability issues to shortages of spare parts, materials and maintenance capacity.
According to IATA, supply chain failures cost airlines at least US$11 billion in 2025 alone.
The association's director general, Willie Walsh, said the aviation sector continues to face significant challenges.
Major backlog
“The aircraft order backlog is now more than 18 000 aircraft, while the average fleet age has reached a record 15.2 years,” Walsh said.
He added that airlines remain short of more than 5 000 fuel-efficient replacement aircraft they had expected to receive, resulting in missed efficiency gains, higher leasing costs and rising maintenance expenses.
To address these challenges, IATA has called for four key measures.
The first is greater supply chain visibility. IATA said manufacturers should provide airlines with earlier and more reliable information on delivery delays, repair turnaround times, spare parts availability and known bottlenecks to improve operational planning.
Secondly, the association is urging manufacturers to open up the aircraft aftermarket by allowing greater access to third-party maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) providers, alternative parts and approved repair options.
IATA argues that existing restrictions on repair instructions, tooling, approved repair networks and spare parts distribution limit competition, increase costs and prolong waiting times.
Improved use of data
The third priority focuses on improving the use of data, digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI). Better integration between airline maintenance systems and market intelligence could help airlines manage inventories more effectively, identify shortages earlier and improve repair decisions. AI could also assist in forecasting demand and reducing administrative workloads.
The fourth priority is building human capacity. IATA said the industry must expand recruitment, training and licensing opportunities for aircraft maintenance technicians.
The association cited estimates from Boeing that the global aviation industry will require approximately 710,000 new maintenance technicians over the next 20 years.
IATA director of flight and technical operations Stuart Fox said cooperation across the aviation sector would be essential. “Alongside aircraft delivery delays, engine durability issues, shortages of materials and spare parts, and constrained maintenance capacity are disrupting airline operations,” he said.
“The supply chain is under real pressure, but this is not a reason for pessimism. It is a reason for action.”
Coordinated timelines
Separately, IATA called for realistic and globally coordinated timelines for new aircraft equipment and avionics mandates.
The association said compliance deadlines should take into account certification processes, equipment availability, installation capacity and wider supply chain constraints.
IATA has raised these concerns with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), particularly regarding requirements linked to the Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS), Runway Overrun Awareness and Alerting Systems (ROAAS), and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B).
“This is not about delaying safety,” Fox said. “It is about making safety deliverable. Global safety improvements require coordinated implementation timelines that reflect certification, equipment availability and installation capacity.”