The global commercial aviation industry has escalated its antitrust push against original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), demanding open market access for reconditioned and used aircraft engine components. The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents roughly 300 airlines accounting for over 80% of global air traffic, warned that restrictive contractual practices are worsening worldwide maintenance backlogs and grounding commercial fleets.

The campaign targets long-standing commercial barriers that prevent third-party maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities from harvesting, recertifying, and installing 'used serviceable material' (USM) parts on major commercial turbofan engines without proprietary OEM licensing.

The Turboprop Antitrust Precedent

IATA's renewed push builds on a landmark European Commission antitrust settlement with Pratt & Whitney Canada, in which the engine builder agreed to remove restrictive clauses that barred independent repair shops from sourcing component sections from decommissioned regional turboprops. IATA officials emphasized that while the regional settlement established an important legal principle, regulatory intervention must now extend to mainstream narrowbody commercial powerplants.

Commercial Aviation Engine Supply Chain and Maintenance Bottlenecks
Component / Parameter Pre-2020 Baseline Current Industry Reality Impact on Airline Operations
Engine Shop Turnaround Time 60–75 calendar days 140–180 calendar days Multi-month aircraft groundings during peak travel seasons
Used Serviceable Material (USM) Access Strictly OEM-controlled warranties Independent certified shops restricted 30–50% price premiums on replacement turbine disks
Annual Grounding Costs Estimated $1.8 billion Exceeds $5.8 billion globally Reduced route frequencies and inflated passenger ticket costs
High-Pressure Turbine Blades 6–8 week lead time 40–52 week procurement delay Backlog of aircraft awaiting scheduled C-checks and overhauls

Severe Shortages of Critical Turbine Components

The maintenance crunch has been particularly severe for high-demand workhorse engines such as the CFM56 and Leap series, where turnaround times in engine shops have surged from roughly two months prior to 2020 to more than five months today. Shortages of specialized alloys and precision-cast high-pressure turbine blades have left dozens of airliners parked in storage hangars awaiting engine overhauls.

Engine manufacturers contend that proprietary controls are essential to uphold flight safety standards and protect hundreds of millions of dollars invested in initial engine certification. However, airlines argue that expanding the availability of certified used parts from retired airframes would provide immediate relief without compromising safety.

Sources

Aviation Airlines IATA Aerospace Supply Chain