Aircraft MRO Market Size

Aircraft MRO Market Overview

Overhaul, inspection, repair, or modification of an aircraft or its components is referred to as aircraft MRO. Factors such as growing environmental awareness, rising demand for older planes, the introduction of new generation fleet in the aviation industry, rising disposable income, and increased airline passenger traffic have contributed in an increase in market value. Additionally, increased development initiatives for aircraft modernization are a crucial driver that is expected to accelerate market expansion.

Because the dynamics of the Aircraft MRO Market in commercial aviation are changing at a rapid pace, the industry's long-term viability necessitates the rapid deployment of solutions to address the dynamism. Furthermore, straight-line government rules on aircraft, as well as the requirement for frequent service of engine parts and engines, are supporting the growth of the global MRO aircraft business. Numerous engine production projects are predicted to gain popularity as a result of increased aircraft modernization, environmental concerns, and laws and legislation for the replacement of outdated fleets. Many engine manufacturers are focusing on producing powerful and affordable engines for new fleets.

The aviation sector is the most affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, relative to other sectors. This is attributed to the containment policies against the pandemic of COVID-19 that led to the closure of the entire service of the multinational passenger airline. In contrast, not that much was hit by freight aviation, just in reference to the downturn in global industrial development. How long the markets will take to rebound in the post-COVID world is still uncertain. The coronavirus pandemic gave the world economy a profound meta-uncertainty and its influence could reshape the future functionality of our pre-COVID economic structures.Despite the global pandemic, some regions in the Aircraft MRO market continued to expand. To aid in making India a regional MRO hub for the provision of engineering, maintenance, skilling, repair, and sustainment services of defense and commercial aircraft "in India, for India," Boeing introduced the Boeing India Repair Development and Sustainment (BIRDS) plan in 2021.

Aircraft MRO Market Drivers

Growing Air Travel to Drive Market Growth

Many new MRO support centres have recently been built in various countries. Increasing criteria for adequate servicing and refurbishment of aircraft to preserve their peak performance and to meet with stringent regulatory specifications would raise the market share of MRO commercial aircraft. The Aircraft MRO Market size would be further expanded by developments in technology combined with the need to resolve wear and tear of products. In addition, rising foreign trade between countries has led to an increase in the frequency of cargo aircraft. In order to ensure optimal efficiency and safe air travel, it is also necessary to execute timely checks and repairs on aeroplanes. Different factors push the market, such as the increased focus of OEMs on aircraft MRO operation and the rapid growth of aircraft fleets. In addition, the increased need for adequate engine & component servicing is driving the development of the MRO market for aircrafts. The emergence of low-cost airlines and the high degree of professionalism displayed by ground and maintenance workers exploit the worldwide commercialization of the airline industry.

Aircraft MRO Market Opportunities

Growing Adoption of Aircraft Modifications to Create Growth Opportunities

Owing to an increase in aircraft modernization, environmental issues, and rules and legislation for the replacement of older fleets, numerous engine production projects are also expected to experience popularity. Many manufacturers of engines are focused on the production of powerful and inexpensive engines for new fleets. The growth of refurbished and used parts in engine and non-engine maintenance is one of the significant trends in this field. In the next decade, demand for used aircraft parts is projected to increase, fuelled by the growth in the retirement of older aircraft worldwide. In commercial aviation, the dynamics of the MRO market are evolving rapidly, so sustainability in the industry requires fast implementation of strategies to address the dynamism. In addition, straight-line government regulations on aircraft and the need for frequent servicing of engine parts and engines are another factor driving the development of the global MRO aircraft industry.

Aircraft MRO Market  Restraints

Environmental Regulations to Impede Market Growth

However, rising environmental threats associated with MRO aircraft services are projected to limit global demand growth to some degree. In addition, the shortage of qualified experts is another aspect projected to impede the global demand for MRO aircraft engines.American Airlines and the Aviation Institute of Maintenance have formed a new relationship to help the airline's approximately 12,000 aviation maintenance employees find qualified candidates for open positions within the company. Their mission is to meet the workforce needs of the airline industry and aircraft manufacturers while also facilitating the students' own personal and professional development. The cooperation also ensures that the best applications will receive ongoing support from American Airlines' maintenance staff and use of the airline's network of maintenance hubs.

By MRO Type

Segmentation by MRO type comprises of engine, component, line maintenance, airframe, and modifications. The Airframe MRO segment held the second-largest demand in 2018 and is predicted to grow its shares during the projected period.

By Aircraft Type

Segmentation by aircraft class involves narrow-body, wide-body, and other segments. Narrow-body aircraft have a commanding market share and are projected to continue to operate throughout the forecast timeframe. Airline operators are updating their aircraft models to allow cost reductions that result in fuel efficiency, thus increasing the fleet of narrow-body aircraft. Wide-body aircraft are projected to be the fastest CAGR in the forecast timeframe, leading to a significant transformation in the production of turbofan engines over the last few years. Widebody aircraft experience a high proportion of MRO costs due to their complexity and high maintenance.

Segmentation by application comprises of commercial air transport, business and general aviation, and military aviation. Because of the demand for fuel efficiency and passenger and aircraft safety, commercial air transport firms pursue vital efforts to sustain their aircraft fleet.

OGMA, a subsidiary of Embraer, made aviation history when it became the first Authorized Maintenance Center in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) to be certified by the Portuguese aeronautical authority to perform heavy maintenance on the E-Jets E2 family of commercial aircraft. Because of this, OGMA is broadening its presence in the commercial aviation industry.

Aircraft MRO Market Regional Aanalysis

Four main areas, including the Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and the rest of the world, have been given a geographical description of the global economy.

APAC - India

Air Works, the second-oldest maintenance repair and overhaul unit in India, was acquired by the Adani Group for an enterprise valuation of Rs 400 crore. The most recent purchase will expand the company's maintenance capabilities into the airline, business jet, and defense aircraft maintenance verticals, bringing the total number of airports under the company's control to seven. The aerospace industries, both military and commercial, rely heavily on the MRO industry. Indian defense aircraft manufacturers stand to benefit greatly from the country's ongoing modernization program. According to the joint statement, the Indian MRO market is projected to increase from $1.7 billion in 2018 to $5 billion in 2030. As a result of the government's efforts over the past seven years, India's maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) industry is poised for rapid expansion. Maintenance of Indian aircraft is now performed in-country. A significant shift is the influx of foreign investment into India from nations like Vietnam, Myanmar, Bhutan, and the United Arab Emirates. Thanks to the new funding, they will be able to expand their operations into more promising avenues, such as forming partnerships with original equipment manufacturers and developing cutting-edge technologies in the field of components and engines.

U.S. Dominates the North American Market

North America was the leading region in 2016 for the worldwide MRO demand for aircraft engines. In the region, a range of major aircraft manufacturers (such as Boeing) and MRO engine service providers are present, achieving a high market share in the region.

High R&D Investments in Europe to Drive the market

Air traffic growth is projected to fuel Europe's regional growth in the coming years. Over the review era, Germany kept a higher market value. Regional development is projected to be powered by other factors, such as increasing foreign trade and the need for new aircraft. The focus on innovative technology for maintenance activities and OEMs is a major factor influencing the development of the European industry.

China to Drive APAC Market

In countries like China, India and others, the market is driven by various factors, such as increased air travel in the Asia-Pacific region. The factors driving unprecedented growth in the aircraft MRO market in APAC are economic growth, rising travellers, and increasing investment on aviation infrastructure around APAC. The growth of the aircraft engine MRO market is also motivated by increased limitations in global flight regulations and the need for careful maintenance of engines & engine components. Growing numbers of middle-class passengers, especially in APAC countries such as India, China and Singapore, are the key contributing factors to the growth of air travel, thereby increasing the demand for MRO aircraft services in the region. The development of aviation MRO services is funded by policymakers in the above-mentioned countries, as well as other developing economies, as it is a key policy to support the region's economic objectives by concentrating on enhancing the MRO activities of aircraft.

Growing Technological Advancements to Drive MEA market

During the projected period, the Middle East & Africa commercial aircraft MRO market will see healthy growth of about 6 percent. The rising number of ageing aircraft fleets, along with older aircraft technology, offers a favourable outlook for the overall industry. In addition, growing tourism is improving industry sales in the region along with the availability of technologically advanced and next-generation widebody aircraft. 

Global Aircraft MRO Market

On May 23, 2023, SF Airlines (Shenzhen) and the commercial aerospace arm of ST Engineering (Singapore), announced a joint-venture (JV) commercial airframe maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) company for China's Ezhou airport in eastern Hubei province. The new company will operate a greenfield airframe MRO facility at Ezhou Airport to provide MRO services to cargo and passenger airlines in Asia, including SF Airlines. The first hangar is scheduled to open in 2025.

On April 20, 2023, Spirit AeroSystems, Inc., and ST Engineering jointly signed an exclusive cooperation agreement to target the nacelle MRO market in the Middle East. Under the agreement, these companies will jointly market and offer competitive value propositions to support the entire fleet belonging to operators in the Middle East, bringing together their expertise and experience across various aircraft platforms.

On Nov.09, 2022, HAITE and Thales announced the signing of an agreement for avionics repair and maintenance services. Through this agreement, Thales will collaborate with HAITE on the various aspect of repairs, including workload sharing, technical manuals, test software, and equipment provision. The expanded Thales-authorized MRO network will enable better customer service with innovative products, solutions, and seamless quality services, thus contributing to China's aviation MRO market development.

On Oct.20, 2022, Adani Defence Systems & Technologies Ltd. (ADSTL), the defense manufacturing arm of Adani Group, announced the acquisition of Air Works, India's largest independent MRO company. The addition to the Adani Group portfolio will mark the next phase in India's aviation industry growth. The acquisition would expand the Air Works and various services offered under its brand. The landscape would change for the company, its risk-taking ability, and its investment capacity.

On September 28, 2022, FL Technics, an MRO service provider, started its line maintenance business to provide solutions for Wizz Air Abu Dhabi. The full-fledged line maintenance package under GCAA certification, including scheduled & on-call maintenance, parts & components supply chain services, and management & administration of the projects in-line with UAE regulations and requirements.

Aircraft MRO Market Competitive Landscape

In order to maximise the revenue share of business companies, strategic long-term alliances and contracts are set to play a significant role. In addition, players are emerging from developed markets due to increased demand. 

• Airbus Group


• Air France KLM Engineering & Maintenance, Air Works


• Delta TechOps


• HAECO


• Honeywell International


• GMF AeroAsia


• Jet Maintenance Solutions


• ST Aerospace


• GE Aviation


• Rolls-Royce


• Pratt & Whitney


• Lufthansa Technik


• Safran Aircraft Engines

Recent Development

For instance,February 2022: Flydubai, a Dubai-based airline, acquired a multi-year arrangement with Boeing for spares provisioning and Quick Engine Change (QEC) kits to service its all-Boeing fleet. These new contracts will allow flydubai to support more efficient maintenance operations while also controlling inventory costs, providing attractive continued business potential for the aircraft interiors and MRO sector in the post-COVID recovery period.

For instance,February 2022: FL Technics was granted two extensions under the current Part 145 approval. The first expansion of capabilities is to provide line maintenance services for Boeing B787 aircraft, and the second is to provide borescope examinations of Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM series engines. Simultaneously, the FL Technics team will now rely on approved borescope inspection services for one of the most popular engines on the market, which is commonly mounted on the Airbus A320 aircraft family.Report Overview

By MRO Type

• Engine


• Component


• line maintenance


• airframe


• modifications

By Aircraft Type

• narrow-body


• wide-body


• others

By Application

• commercial air transport


• business and general aviation


• military aviation