IATA Hosts Global Seminar to Address Aircraft Supply Chain Crisis

Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced the launch of the Global Maintenance and Engineering Seminar (WMES), scheduled to take place in Madrid, Spain, on June 24 and 25, 2026. This event will bring together leading experts and aviation industry leaders from around the world to address escalating challenges facing the sector, particularly supply chain disruptions and delays in aircraft and engine deliveries.

This year’s seminar is themed “Reviving the Supply Chain,” reflecting the mounting pressures that airlines and maintenance organizations are facing due to shortages of spare parts, bottlenecks in engine maintenance, and delays in new aircraft deliveries. These factors have directly impacted operational efficiency and increased operating costs globally.

Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, emphasized that instability in supply chains, maintenance bottlenecks, and delivery delays pose significant challenges for the industry. He noted that the global seminar provides an essential platform for discussing practical solutions aimed at restoring operational reliability and enhancing the resilience of the aviation sector.

The seminar will feature prominent officials and experts, including André Schneider, Head of Engineering and Maintenance at Airbus; Aman Sandhu, Director of Systems and Services Engineering at Boeing; Nick Careen, Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety, and Security at IATA; and Stuart Fox, Director of Flight Operations and Technical Operations at IATA.

The agenda includes two main tracks: the first focusing on supply chain issues such as aircraft and engine delivery delays, spare parts availability, maintenance planning, and cost management. The second track will explore ways to enhance operational efficiency and improve maintenance reliability while reducing expenses through the application of artificial intelligence technologies, maintenance information systems, digital records, and predictive maintenance.

Additionally, the seminar will discuss several other critical topics including usable materials management, procedures for retiring grounded aircraft from service, and the future workforce in maintenance and engineering amidst rapid technological transformations in global aviation.

The seminar aims to gather aviation technical operations specialists, industry leaders, and regulatory bodies to exchange expertise while discussing recent technological developments, legislative changes, and best practices that contribute to supporting sustainability in air transport while enhancing readiness to face future challenges.