Airbus Forecasts 2.44 Million New Aviation Personnel Needed by 2045 Amid Booming $420 Billion Services Market

Global aviation will require 2.44 million new personnel over the next 20 years to sustain international air passenger growth and resolve chronic post-pandemic labor deficits, according to long-term market forecasts released by planemaker Airbus in Toulouse.

The post-delivery commercial aviation services market is projected to expand at an average annual clip of 3.8%, doubling its overall market size from current levels to reach $420 billion by 2045.

Projected Workforce Requirements by Function The 2.44 million recruitment requirement highlights severe operational gaps across key technical and frontline roles:

• Cabin Crew: 1.05 million new personnel.
• Maintenance Technicians: 730,000 specialists to address persistent staffing shortages in maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities.
• Commercial Pilots: 660,000 pilots to operate incoming fleets of fuel-efficient passenger jets.

Strategic Pivot: Delivering Aircraft to Lifecycle Services Airbus aims to outpace broader market growth by scaling its commercial aircraft service revenue from approximately €5.4 billion ($6.05 billion) in 2025 to more than $10 billion by 2030. This marks the planemaker's renewed push toward a financial benchmark originally targeted for 2025 before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted industry operations.

"The old narrative was we deliver aircraft; the new narrative is we deliver aircraft and we offer services." — Lars Wagner, CEO, Airbus Commercial

In comparison, competitor Boeing generated $20.9 billion in services revenue in 2025 across combined commercial and defense contracts, representing its most profitable division. Both aerospace giants identify India as the world's fastest-growing air travel market over the coming decades.

Maintenance Headwinds and In-Flight Connectivity

• Off-Wing Maintenance Tensions: Approximately 50% of the services market centers on off-wing engine repairs. Unanticipated maintenance frequencies on modern turbine engines have grounded hundreds of aircraft globally, creating friction between aircraft manufacturers and engine suppliers over long-term aftermarket repair revenue.

• Connectivity & Digital Systems: The fastest-growing segment in the aviation services matrix is inflight data analytics and passenger digital connectivity, projected to expand by 5.3% annually to hit $27 billion by 2045.