The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called for a more open engine aftermarket to prevent maintenance bottlenecks that continue to cause extended turnaround times and disruption for operators.
In a new report, IATA identified better parts availability and looser OEM control of the engine maintenance market as the main avenues of improvement, citing its agreement with CFM as an example of best practice.
The deal was first agreed in 2018. At the time, CFM said it was already implementing many of the policies it contained, although IATA’s agreement on fair market access did introduce two notable changes: lower fees for airlines or independent maintenance shops that perform CFM repairs for third parties; and agreement from CFM that it would reinstall serviceable PMA parts encountered during engine overhauls, provided they are a surprise finding.
The trade body also noted that Pratt & Whitney exerts more control over the maintenance market for its new GTF engines than CFM does for the rival Leap platform, with airlines only able to access accredited GTF shops via the manufacturer.
CFM does allow competition within its affiliate MRO network for Leap maintenance, although IATA noted that there as yet are no fully independent MROs offering GTF or Leap overhauls.
“Manufacturers are investing in additional capacity, but capacity alone will not be enough. Airlines need better access to spare parts, more approved repair options, fair access to MRO capacity and greater competition in the aftermarket,” said IATA director general Willie Walsh.
IATA and Emerton, which co-authored the new report, forecast that annual Leap and GTF shop visits will rise to up to 2,000 and 1,800, respectively, by 2030.
Looking ahead, IATA also wants airlines to be able to secure long-term access to spare parts through pre-negotiated spare parts catalogues that could include annual price escalation caps.
“Revisiting business models between aircraft and engine manufacturers is essential so that they better support operational resilience across the full aircraft lifecycle.” Walsh said. “The goal is to get engines back on wing faster, reduce avoidable disruption and ensure that future fleet growth is supported by the MRO capacity and market access airlines need.”
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