Aerospace supply chain challenges are delaying aircraft production, leading airlines to extend older fleets. The global backlog exceeded 17,000 aircraft in 2024, costing the industry over $11 billion in 2025 due to slow production, according to International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Oliver Wyman joint study.
Middle Eastern airlines’ passenger demand rose 9.6% year-on-year in November 2025, with capacity up 9.2% and a load factor of 81.4% (+0.3 ppt). Globally, passenger demand grew 5.7% versus November 2024, per IATA data.
