IATA urges action to boost the aviation supply chain to cut the aircraft order backlog

The global representative body for the airline industry, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), has highlighted the delays in deliveries of new airliners. These delays are having real cost consequences for airlines, the association pointed out at its recent Annual General Meeting. “The aircraft order backlog is over 18 000. And the average fleet age has reached a record 15.2 years,” highlighted IATA director-general Willie Walsh, in his “Report on the Air Transport Industry”. “Moreover, being short over 5 000 more fuel-efficient replacement aircraft that airlines had counted on, means missed efficiency gains, not to mention higher lease rates and increased maintenance costs. In total, supply chain failures cost airlines at least $11-billion in 2025. Today’s higher fuel prices will only make that worse.”

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