Introduction
The global aviation industry continues to experience strong demand for air travel, but keeping the aircraft required to meet that demand in service has become increasingly complex. Behind growing fleets and high aircraft utilization, Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) capacity is under mounting pressure from aging aircraft, engine shop visits, supply-chain constraints and shortages of qualified technical personnel.
For operators, this means that securing maintenance capacity can no longer be treated simply as a routine scheduling exercise. Increasingly, it requires long-term planning, close technical oversight and coordination between operators, CAMO organizations, MRO providers and suppliers.
A Growing Market Under Pressure
The scale of the challenge is reflected in the growth of the MRO sector itself. According to Oliver Wyman’s 2026 Global Fleet and MRO Market Forecast, global MRO demand reached approximately $136 billion in 2025, an increase of 8% from the previous year. Spending is expected to approach $193 billion by the end of the decade.
Several factors are contributing simultaneously. Aircraft production has struggled to keep pace with demand, leaving operators dependent on existing fleets for longer. Oliver Wyman estimates that approximately 17,000 unfilled aircraft orders existed at the beginning of 2026, while the average age of the global fleet had increased as airlines continued operating existing aircraft for additional years. Older aircraft generally require greater maintenance input and replacement-part support, increasing demand for already constrained MRO resources.
At the same time, aircraft utilization remains high. More flying hours mean greater maintenance requirements, creating additional competition for hangar capacity, components and qualified personnel.
Engine Maintenance Has Become a Particular Bottleneck
The pressure is especially visible in engine MRO. Engine maintenance represents more than half of global MRO expenditure, while turnaround times for some narrow body engines are now regularly reaching 180 to 200 days or more, according to Oliver Wyman’s 2026 MRO survey. More than half of surveyed industry participants did not expect turnaround times to improve within the following three years, if at all.
IATA has similarly highlighted the increasing pressure on engine maintenance. For newer single-aisle engine families, annual shop visits are expected to increase substantially as their installed fleets mature. This creates a long-term capacity challenge rather than simply a temporary post-pandemic disruption.
Parts and People: Two Critical Constraints
Maintenance capacity depends on considerably more than hangar space.
Aircraft parts and materials remain difficult to source predictably. IATA reports that airlines are maintaining larger spare-parts inventories and using exchanges, loans and other measures to manage uncertainty. Parts shortages can also extend base-maintenance checks when non-routine findings cannot be addressed promptly, keeping aircraft in hangars longer and reducing the number of available maintenance slots.
The workforce presents another challenge. In its 2026 industry discussions, IATA identified mechanics, engineers, planners, reliability specialists and other technical professionals as areas where additional human capacity is required. Training and licensing experienced aviation personnel takes time, meaning workforce capacity cannot simply expand whenever demand increases.
What This Means for Operators
In this environment, maintenance planning becomes increasingly strategic. Operators need greater visibility over upcoming maintenance requirements, component status and anticipated shop visits. Maintenance slots may need to be secured earlier, while parts availability, turnaround times and alternative maintenance solutions should be considered before they become operational constraints.
This is also where effective continuing airworthiness management becomes particularly valuable. Accurate technical records, forward maintenance planning, component monitoring and coordination with maintenance organizations allow potential requirements to be identified earlier and give operators more time to respond.
The objective is not simply to complete maintenance when it becomes due. It is to integrate maintenance requirements into broader fleet and operational planning so that technical needs can be addressed while minimizing disruption.
Planning Ahead in a Capacity-Constrained Market
Rising MRO demand represents both growth and a challenge for aviation. Larger and more heavily utilized fleets create opportunities throughout the aftermarket, but maintenance capacity, materials and skilled personnel cannot expand overnight.
For operators, the practical response is preparation. Earlier planning, reliable technical information and strong coordination across the maintenance ecosystem can provide greater flexibility when capacity is limited.
At Arpiem, our experience in continuing airworthiness management, technical oversight and maintenance coordination helps operators anticipate requirements and make informed decisions throughout the aircraft lifecycle.
As securing maintenance capacity becomes increasingly competitive, effective technical management is not simply about keeping an aircraft compliant. It is about helping ensure that it is ready when the operation needs it.