Aviation executives at the Singapore Airshow highlight supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions as major threats to industry growth.
Aviation executives at the Singapore Airshow cautioned that supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions are undermining industry growth, reports Tokyo's Japan Times.
International Air Transport Association Director General Willie Walsh stated that supply chain problems continue to affect airlines and planemakers, with Airbus, Boeing, and engine manufacturers facing competing demands from new assembly and fleet maintenance.
Mr. Walsh noted that geopolitical changes have impacted air cargo more severely than passenger traffic, with Asia-North America shipments down 0.8 percent last year, while Europe-Asia volumes rose by 10.3 percent.
The Asia-Pacific region remains the fastest-growing area, with passenger traffic projected to rise by 7.3 percent in 2026, driven primarily by China and India. Toshiyuki Onuma, president of ICAO's governing council, warned that aviation cannot support a tripling of passenger numbers without significant transformation and urged faster progress toward achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
Tensions surrounding aircraft certification have raised concerns about the integrity of the Chicago Convention system. Onuma emphasized that ICAO would maintain technical neutrality but stressed the importance of global cooperation.
EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas warned of the 'weaponization' of supply chains, echoing French industry concerns regarding rare earth elements used in jet engines. Despite a US-China trade truce, China remains dominant in supplying these metals, leaving aerospace executives wary of potential future disruptions.
