The aviation industry has turned the page on an unprecedented pandemic demand shock with dozens of new orders at its largest air show in three years — only to face mounting worries over supply chains and reminders that its future hinges on decarbonization.
From rural Farnborough to nearby Heathrow Airport, this week brought stark evidence of the supply crunch now entangling manufacturers and airlines alike, with shortages of both labor and parts.
It comes as airlines — whose expansion had propelled the industry to record profits in the past decade, only to collapse during the pandemic — are desperate to cash in on a nascent recovery in international travel.