Airlines seek parts lifeline as supply chain strain deepens

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Airlines Technical Pool (IATP) agreed to cooperate to improve airlines’ visibility of and access to aircraft parts amid ongoing supply chain strains. The collaboration is intended to address maintenance planning challenges, reduced fleet availability and rising costs caused by shortages of serviceable materials, longer repair times and more expensive procurement across the aerospace supply chain. Stuart Fox, IATA’s Director for Flight and Technical Operations, said the industry needs “practical cooperation” and that combining IATP pooling expertise with IATA technical programs and digital tools can strengthen maintenance resilience. The first priority will be improving access to serviceable aircraft materials through IATP pooling, supported by IATA, and complemented by IATA’s MRO SmartHub for market visibility and valuation. A second cooperation focus will cover technical, safety and quality standards, including exchanges of best practices and expanded access to MRO SmartHub features via a data participation program.