Airbus Eyes Services Expansion Amid Aviation Talent Deficit

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Airbus Warns of Major Workforce Gap

TOULOUSE, France, Oct 14 (Reuters) – Airbus has projected that the global aviation industry will need to recruit 2.44 million people over the next two decades to support air travel, highlighting a substantial labor gap in critical operational roles.

The estimate includes a requirement for 730,000 workers in maintenance facilities, an area where severe staffing shortages have already created significant operational strain. The company also forecasts demand for 1.05 million cabin crew and 660,000 pilots over the same period.

These hiring needs emerge while airlines and aerospace companies continue to struggle to attract and retain employees in competition with other sectors following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Services Market Poised to Double

Airbus views training and supporting this new generation of aviation professionals as a key component of the post-production services market. The company expects this services segment to double in value over the next 20 years to reach $420 billion, implying an average annual growth rate of 3.8%.

Customer services head Cristina Aguilar Grieder said Airbus aims to expand faster than the broader services market. The company plans to increase its commercial aircraft services revenue to more than $10 billion by 2030, compared with about €5.4 billion ($6.05 billion) projected for 2025.

This represents Airbus’s second attempt to surpass the $10 billion services threshold, after previously setting that ambition for 2025. The earlier target was set shortly before the COVID-19 crisis, which forced the aviation sector to reassess its growth trajectories.

“The old narrative was we deliver aircraft; the new narrative is we deliver aircraft and we offer services,” Airbus Commercial CEO Lars Wagner told reporters.

Competitive Landscape in Services

Boeing consolidates its services activities into a dedicated division, which is currently its most profitable unit. That division generated services revenue of $20.9 billion in 2025, including military-related business.

Both Airbus and Boeing expect India to be the strongest source of air travel expansion in the coming years, shaping the geographic focus for future services and support.

Airbus’s updated services outlook, which closely aligns with Boeing’s forecast of 3.7% annual growth in the sector, underscores a strategic pivot away from emphasis on aircraft order competitions and toward the lifecycle maintenance and support of newer, fuel-efficient aircraft.

Maintenance and Grounded Aircraft Pressures

Airbus anticipates that about half of the total services market will be tied to off-wing maintenance activities. This segment has been at the heart of mounting operational disruption, as engines have required more frequent repairs than initially expected, leading to hundreds of aircraft being taken out of service.

Airlines have also criticized delays in the delivery of new aircraft, compounding capacity and scheduling challenges across fleets.

Against this backdrop, Airbus has indicated that it intends to capture a larger share of services revenue on future aircraft programs. This could set up increased competition with engine manufacturers, who argue that their substantial investments in propulsion technology rely heavily on long-term maintenance and overhaul income streams.

Data and Connectivity Lead Growth Segments

The most rapidly expanding slice of the aviation services market relates to digital solutions, data analytics, and connectivity offerings. As airlines increasingly regard onboard internet access as an essential service for passengers and operations, demand for such capabilities is expected to accelerate.

This data and connectivity segment is projected to grow at an annual rate of 5.3%, reaching $27 billion by 2045.

Key Forecast Figures