The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has welcomed changes by Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) to contractual terms governing used engine parts, saying the move could strengthen competition and expand choice in the turboprop engine aftermarket. The changes remove restrictions affecting maintenance shops within P&WC’s network that could have limited independent suppliers’ access to used engine material and associated services.
The changes apply specifically to used parts for P&WC’s PT6 and PW100-series turboprop engines. They do not extend to Pratt & Whitney’s larger commercial jet engines and do not address the use of regulator-approved alternative parts or repairs.
IATA said the changes follow work by the European Commission Directorate-General for Competition and represent progress towards improving competition in one segment of the engine aftermarket.
Greater access for independent MRO providers
IATA said the revised contractual terms could provide independent maintenance providers with greater access to used material, potentially increasing the range of options available to operators maintaining PT6 and PW100-series engines.
Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Operations, Safety and Security, said the European Commission’s work had resulted in changes that would bring greater competition and choice to part of the turboprop engine aftermarket.
However, he stressed that the principles of fair access, competition and customer choice should extend across the wider engine aftermarket.
“Whatever engine an airline is using, the airline should have the freedom to choose among all regulator-approved maintenance facilities and regulator-approved parts and repairs,” Careen said.
Parts shortages continue to pressure MRO
The development comes as airlines and MRO providers continue to deal with significant supply chain constraints, including shortages of engine parts and limited maintenance capacity.
According to an IATA–Oliver Wyman study, supply chain constraints added approximately $5.7 billion to airlines’ engine leasing and maintenance costs in 2025.
For operators, restricted access to parts and maintenance capacity can translate directly into higher repair costs, longer turnaround times and aircraft remaining out of service for extended periods.
IATA said greater competition and increased availability of parts and repair options could help alleviate some of these pressures in the short term, while creating greater efficiencies across the aftermarket over the longer term.
Customer choice
The association is using the P&WC development to reinforce its broader position that airlines should be able to select from all regulator-approved maintenance facilities and approved parts and repair solutions.
Greater flexibility in sourcing maintenance services and material can be particularly important when fleets are facing constrained component availability or limited shop capacity.
For the MRO sector, wider participation by independent providers could also encourage greater competition around pricing, turnaround times and service offerings.
Follows IATA–CFM aftermarket agreement
The P&WC development follows another initiative involving IATA and CFM International. Earlier in 2026, IATA renewed its agreement with CFM International covering aftermarket practices. The agreement is intended to enhance competition across CFM’s commercial engine portfolio by increasing maintenance options, enabling independent maintenance providers to compete and supporting the use of regulator-approved parts and repair solutions.
Together, the developments highlight growing industry attention on competition and access within the engine aftermarket, particularly as airlines face rising maintenance costs and constrained engine shop capacity.
Competition gains importance
Engine maintenance remains one of the largest cost areas for airlines, making access to parts, repairs and shop capacity increasingly critical to fleet economics.
While the latest P&WC changes are limited to used parts for PT6 and PW100-series turboprop engines, IATA argues that the broader principles involved fair access, competition and customer choice should apply across the engine aftermarket.
As supply chain constraints continue to affect engine maintenance and aircraft availability, greater participation from independent MRO providers and access to regulator-approved alternatives could become increasingly important in helping airlines manage costs and keep aircraft flying.
