IATA Calls for Urgent Action as LEAP and Pratt & Whitney GTF Engine MRO Bottlenecks Threaten Airline Growth and Global Aviation Resilience

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IATA has warned that maintenance bottlenecks affecting CFM LEAP and Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan engines are becoming one of the aviation industry’s biggest operational challenges. The association says airlines, manufacturers, MRO providers and lessors must work together to improve spare parts availability, expand repair capacity and create a more competitive aftermarket to keep future fleet growth on track.

Why is IATA warning that aircraft engine maintenance has become a critical global challenge?

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), working alongside aviation consultancy Emerton, has released a comprehensive study highlighting growing maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) constraints affecting the world’s latest-generation single-aisle aircraft engines. The report focuses on CFM International’s LEAP engine family and Pratt & Whitney’s Geared Turbofan (GTF) engines, which now power thousands of aircraft operating across global airline fleets.

According to the study, a combination of engine durability concerns, shortages of spare components, insufficient spare engine availability and limited access to maintenance capacity is placing unprecedented pressure on airlines. These issues are reducing engine operating time before maintenance, increasing the number of shop visits and making long-term fleet planning considerably more difficult for carriers worldwide.

How have airlines been affected by the current engine shortages?

The report highlights that airlines have already experienced severe operational disruption because of ongoing engine maintenance delays. At the peak of the crisis in March 2025, a total of 648 Pratt & Whitney GTF-powered aircraft remained grounded, representing around 28 per cent of the global GTF fleet while waiting for maintenance slots, replacement engines or critical spare parts.

To minimise disruption, airlines have been forced to implement expensive contingency measures including extending the service life of older aircraft, prolonging lease agreements, leasing additional aircraft and adjusting schedules to compensate for reduced fleet availability. These operational decisions have significantly increased costs while limiting capacity growth in several markets.

Why is the pressure expected to increase during the next decade?

IATA believes the maintenance challenge will become considerably larger as airlines continue replacing older aircraft with new-generation fuel-efficient narrowbody fleets. Deliveries of LEAP and GTF engines continue to accelerate as manufacturers support rising global passenger demand and airline fleet modernisation programmes.

During 2024 alone, manufacturers delivered approximately 2,000 single-aisle aircraft engines, including around 1,200 LEAP engines and 800 Pratt & Whitney GTF engines. Between 2030 and 2040, annual deliveries are forecast to remain stable at roughly 3,700 engines every year, consisting of approximately 2,500 LEAP engines and 1,200 GTF engines, creating substantially higher maintenance requirements throughout the industry.

What does the new forecast reveal about future maintenance demand?

The projected expansion of global narrowbody fleets is expected to transform engine maintenance requirements over the next fifteen years. Annual maintenance shop visits for LEAP engines are forecast to increase dramatically from between 600 and 800 visits in 2025 to more than 5,000 annually by 2040.

Pratt & Whitney GTF engines will also experience a substantial increase in maintenance demand, with annual shop visits expected to rise from approximately 1,000 in 2025 to more than 2,000 by 2040. Without corresponding investment in repair capability, spare parts production and aftermarket access, airlines could face even greater operational disruption in the years ahead.

What solutions has IATA proposed to strengthen the aviation supply chain?

IATA argues that expanding physical maintenance capacity alone will not resolve the industry’s growing challenges. Instead, the association believes coordinated action throughout the aviation ecosystem will be required to improve resilience while supporting future airline growth.

Among its recommendations, IATA has called for faster development and regulatory approval of repair solutions that reduce component waste, wider licensed production of critical engine parts and increased use of serviceable materials recovered from dismantled engines. The organisation believes these measures would improve parts availability while reducing dependence on newly manufactured components.

How can greater competition improve the engine aftermarket?

The report also encourages broader participation by independent MRO providers through improved access to repair documentation, specialised tooling and approved spare parts. IATA believes reducing barriers to entry would stimulate additional maintenance capacity while encouraging greater competition across the aftermarket.

The association notes that the IATA-CFM agreement, originally signed in 2018 and renewed in January 2026, provides a practical framework supporting customer choice, regulatory-approved repairs and fair market access for qualified third-party maintenance providers. Expanding similar principles across the aerospace industry could significantly strengthen long-term operational resilience.

Why are long-term spare parts agreements becoming increasingly important?

IATA recommends that airlines and aircraft lessors negotiate stronger contractual protections when purchasing new aircraft and engines. Securing predictable long-term pricing and guaranteed access to spare components would provide greater certainty throughout an aircraft’s operational life while allowing airlines to make more effective maintenance decisions.

The report also recommends ensuring airlines retain the flexibility to assign these contractual rights to their preferred maintenance providers, including independent repair organisations. According to IATA, this approach would encourage greater efficiency while reducing maintenance delays caused by restricted access to approved components.

What wider industry changes are needed to support future aviation growth?

IATA Director General Willie Walsh emphasised that resolving today’s disruption must remain the industry’s immediate priority, but he stressed that long-term resilience will depend upon greater transparency, stronger collaboration and a more competitive aftermarket. He argued that existing business models between aircraft manufacturers and engine manufacturers should evolve to better support airlines throughout the complete operational lifecycle of modern aircraft.

The association concludes that airlines, engine manufacturers, aircraft manufacturers, maintenance providers and leasing companies must work collectively to improve spare parts availability, expand repair capability and ensure maintenance infrastructure grows alongside rapidly expanding global aircraft fleets. Such cooperation will be essential to keeping aircraft flying efficiently while supporting sustainable long-term growth across international aviation.

Comment by Anup Kumar Keshan, Travel Industry Tycoon, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Travel And Tour World “The aviation industry stands at a defining moment where operational resilience will increasingly determine commercial success. IATA’s recommendations recognise that modern aircraft technology must be supported by an equally modern maintenance ecosystem capable of meeting rapidly growing global demand. Building a stronger, more transparent and competitive aftermarket will benefit airlines, manufacturers, lessors and, most importantly, passengers who depend upon reliable air connectivity every day. Greater collaboration across the aviation supply chain will not only reduce costly disruptions but also strengthen confidence in future fleet expansion, ensuring the industry’s remarkable growth continues with efficiency, sustainability and long-term resilience at its core.”