The global aviation industry is currently navigating a complex landscape, one marked by acute supply chain disruptions. Such disruptions are leading to delays in acquiring essential aircraft parts, adversely affecting maintenance schedules and escalating operational costs for airlines worldwide. While demand for aircraft remains strong, suppliers are struggling to keep pace. Both Boeing and Airbus have sounded the alarm, stating that more suppliers are needed. The shortfall does not just slow new builds - it also snarls maintenance, overhaul, and repair cycles.
“As far as the supply base is concerned, I do think there is scope to add more capacity,” SVP parts and distribution and supply chain William Ampofo was heard saying to the MRO Europe 2025 attendees.
Critical Shortages Disrupt MRO Flow
Both Boeing and Airbus are working with suppliers to become more resilient and efficient by expanding serviceable materials (USM) activity. But even the most efficient new-production and parts-reuse efforts will not close the capacity gap completely, leaving opportunities for expansion or new entrants.
Some aircraft lines are held back by delays in engines, aerostructures, coatings, and electromechanical systems. In one panel discussion at the expo, Ampofo said that “new entrants are going to have to be stood up” to relieve supplier pressure. He flagged “flight deck windows” as a so-called “pain part,” noting that one supplier exit left only a single producer serving that demand.
Because OEMs sometimes can’t source key components in time, aircraft deliveries slip. That ripples into the aftermarket: airlines keep older airframes longer, spurring increased demand for maintenance, parts, overhauls, and in some cases cannibalisation of retired aircraft to serve repair shops.
In the MRO world, parts shortages translate into extended aircraft ground time, deferred maintenance, reliance on costly expedited shipping, and, in extreme cases, work stoppages. Some MROs have no choice but to stockpile spares well in advance, tying up capital.
As one example, when production of certain coatings or coatings processes for high-temperature engine parts lags, airlines must park aircraft for longer or lease spare engines.
Some industry studies estimate that the cost to airlines in 2025 from supply chain disruptions will exceed $11 billion, driven by extra maintenance, engine leasing, inventory, and fuel inefficiency from older aircraft use.
Several factors combine to throttle supply chains:
- Pandemic hangover and demand rebound: During COVID-19, many suppliers scaled back operations or closed wings of business. Demand for air travel collapsed, so orders were cut. Recovery has outpaced the ramp-up in parts capacity.
- Supply chain fragmentation: Some parts are sourced deep in tiers, tier-3 or tier-4 firms, with little slack. If a small player fails, their niche capability disappears.
- Materials and raw material constraints: The scarcity or price volatility in superalloys, specialty metals, electronic semiconductors, and rare earths challenge production.
- Geopolitical and trade pressures: Trade barriers, sanctions, export controls, and regional instability disrupt flows of components, especially for critical components or subsystems built in constrained jurisdictions.
- Capacity constraints and exit of suppliers: Some specialised firms have exited markets or reallocated to more profitable sectors, leaving gaps.
- Certification and regulatory hurdles: Even if a firm can manufacture a replacement part, getting it certified and qualified can take months or years.
- High backlog and order concentration: OEMs now carry massive backlogs of orders. Airlines are forced to wait for OEM deliveries, putting pressure on the supplier tiers.
MROs Struggle with Aging Workforce
Supplier shortage does not occur in isolation; labour shortages amplify it. In the MRO sector, experienced technicians have retired or left during downturns. There's a limited pool of skilled labour to staff factories, machining shops, testing labs, coating facilities, and assembly lines. An MRO labour shortfall means lower throughput, longer cycle times, and bottlenecks even when parts arrive.
Also, new aircraft platforms often require new skills. Technicians must learn fresh systems, software, digital diagnostics, composites, and additive manufacturing techniques. Retraining takes time away from production work. One MRO leader noted that replacing retiring technicians with juniors does not restore throughput one-for-one because of the experience gap.
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Some real cases are worth noting here. Take Airbus, which has struggled with engine availability affecting its A320 / A321 output. In the reported analysis, constrained engine supply is cited as a key limiter to higher output.
In one aerospace supply panel, Ampofo mentioned structural actuation systems and windows among parts facing weak supplier coverage. Some airlines have gone out to reactivate stored aircraft to plug fleet capacity gaps, forcing MROs to work on airframes dormant for years, adding to spare demand.
The Aviation Supply Chain Integrity Coalition, which is a coalition of OEMs, airlines, and MRO players, has proposed 13 performance-based, technology-agnostic recommendations to strengthen the supplier ecosystem and reduce unapproved part risk.
Building a More Resilient Supply Chain
According to Ampofo, “We need to get our existing supply base healthy, and at the same time, we need to look for alternate sources.” Actions are underway across the chain including improving efficiencies aimed at improving efficiencies and adding more contingency. A prime way is to encourage new entrants at the tier levels. OEMs may fund or partner with new firms so that supplier capacity grows in line with demand. The industry can also avoid dependence on single supplier paths. MROs and OEMs are more actively seeking alternative supply routes or used serviceable material (USM) as a fallback.
Similarly, better data sharing and tools to monitor bottlenecks several tiers down can help identify risks early and reallocate work. Where possible, repair is preferred to replacement. That reduces demand on fresh manufacturing. Another area of improvement is designing future parts with more interchangeable modules, shared commonality across variants, which can reduce the supplier list explosion.
Though capital-intensive, holding critical spare stock at strategic nodes reduces delays. Additionally, coalitions and alliances across OEMs, airlines, and MROs promote shared standards, part pooling, joint procurement, and coordinated supplier development.
New to MRO?
Some airline executives report faint signs of relief. Riyadh Air’s CEO said supply chain stress remains high, but “signs of moderate improvement” are visible. Yet stress persists, especially deeper in the chain.
If you plan a career in aviation or MRO, it is important to recognise the increasingly vital role of supply chain engineering, procurement analytics, parts logistics, qualification and certification, and systems integration. The industry is pushing toward more resilient, collaborative systems rather than the lean, frictionless chains of past decades. As supply chains strengthen over the coming years, people working in them may gain some of the visibility and influence traditionally reserved for final assembly or maintenance operations.
