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Airbus engine shortage forces airlines to scrap jets
Airlines are stripping nearly-new Airbus A320neo and A321neo jets to harvest spare engines amid an Airbus engine shortage.
The Airbus engine shortage is forcing carriers and lessors in Europe and North America to make a stark operational choice: keep older aircraft flying by cannibalizing nearly-new A320neo and A321neo airframes for high-value Pratt & Whitney and CFM engines, rather than wait months for deliveries or repairs.
What was once an occasional maintenance tactic has become a more frequent reality for some Western operators and leasing firms as global supply-chain frictions persist. The secondary market for engines has surged in value, creating an economic incentive to dismantle aircraft that would otherwise be returned to service or remarketed.
Why the Airbus engine shortage is hitting fleets now
Both Pratt & Whitney and CFM components have experienced constrained production and longer lead times, affecting airlines’ ability to keep twin-engine types like the A320neo family fully operational. With passenger demand steady, airlines are prioritizing available engines for in-service aircraft to avoid cancellations and schedule disruption.
- Short-term survival strategy: the Airbus engine shortage is pushing operators to strip airframes for spare engines.
For lessors, the practice raises questions about asset values and lease returns: a nearly-new A321neo sold for parts does not deliver the same residual value as one returned intact. Fleet planners must now weigh accelerated cannibalization against long-term fleet strategy, maintenance contracts and insurance implications.
The trend underscores weaknesses in the broader aviation supply chain: concentrated engine production, complex repair cycles, and limited spare pools can translate into aircraft being grounded or dismantled even when the airframe itself is young. Until manufacturers and maintenance networks close the gap, expect more operators to lean on the secondary engine market to keep schedules running.
