In modern aviation, the end of commercial operation does not mark the end of the aircraft, but rather the beginning of a new value chain aligned with the principles of sustainability and the circular economy.
For decades, the age of an aircraft has been used as a simplified indicator of its useful life. However, in modern aviation, this view is incomplete. An aircraft does not stop flying because of the number of years since it was manufactured, but rather due to a combination of the operator's operating costs, regulatory requirements and business model.
Understanding this reality is key to analysing both the life cycle of aircraft and the decisions that lead to their retirement, reuse or recycling.
The service life of an aircraft: beyond the calendar
Unlike other industrial assets, there are no regulations establishing a maximum age limit for aircraft operation. Aviation authorities such as EASA or FAA certify airworthiness based on compliance with technical requirements, not the passage of time.
The operational life of an aircraft is mainly defined by:
- Total flight hours
- Number of pressurisation cycles
- Structural condition
- Compliance with the approved maintenance programme
Chronological age can have an indirect influence—as it correlates with wear, corrosion, or fatigue—but it is not a determining factor in itself. There are aircraft that have been in operation for several decades and continue to fly safely, while others that are much younger have been retired for economic or strategic reasons.
Air safety and maintenance: the determining factor
From a technical standpoint, safety is not linked to age, but rather to maintenance and structural integrity.
Mandatory maintenance programmes include periodic inspections, non-destructive testing, and major overhauls specifically designed to detect:
- Structural fatigue
- Corrosion
- Damage accumulated through repeated cycles
These programmes are tailored to the actual operating conditions of each aircraft. Two identical aircraft of the same age may be in very different structural conditions depending on whether they have operated on short-haul or long-haul routes, in humid or dry climates, or with high or low levels of daily use.
As long as an aircraft meets airworthiness and maintenance requirements, there is no technical impediment to it continuing to fly.
Why are the planes being withdrawn then?
In practice, the withdrawal of an aircraft is a complex equation involving three key factors.
1. Operating and maintenance costs
Over time, maintenance can become progressively more expensive:
- More frequent structural inspections
- Longer ground immobilisation time
- Reduced availability of spare parts
- Increase in labour and logistics costs
When the total operating cost exceeds the economic value that the aircraft can generate, continuity is no longer viable.
2. Environmental and operational regulations
Noise and emissions standards have progressively tightened. Aircraft that remain technically safe may cease to be commercially viable if:
- They do not comply with new acoustic requirements at airports.
- They have significantly higher fuel consumption.
- They are not aligned with the operator's decarbonisation objectives.
3. Operator business model
Fleet decisions are based on business strategies:
- Efficiency per seat-kilometre
- Brand image and sustainability
- Fleet homogeneity
- Access to financing and leasing
In many cases, the withdrawal occurs not because the aircraft ‘can no longer fly’, but because it no longer fits the operator's economic model.
The second life of aeroplanes: reuse, dismantle and recycle
Once withdrawn from commercial operation, the aircraft enters a new phase of its life cycle. Far from “dying”, it begins an increasingly structured industrial process. Before recycling, many aircraft undergo processes such as:
- Dismantling of reusable components
- Sale of parts certified as used aeronautical material
- Conversion for non-commercial uses (training, museums, exhibitions)
This is the main source of a market for parts that helps extend the life of other aircraft and reduces the need to manufacture new components.
Once the option of reuse has been ruled out, there is the possibility of recycling aircraft, which is now a regulated and specialised process:
- Recovery of structural metals
- Separation of materials
- Controlled management of hazardous waste
In models with a high proportion of aluminium, the recovery rate is high. In more modern aircraft, the increase in composite materials poses new technological challenges that are driving research into advanced recycling and design for circularity.
In fact, citing the ‘age’ of aircraft as the reason for their retirement is an oversimplification that no longer reflects the reality of the sector. Today's aviation industry operates under a different paradigm:
- Safety depends on maintenance, not age.
- The withdrawal is based on economic and regulatory criteria.
- The end of the operation is the beginning of a new value chain.
Understanding this logic is essential for correctly analysing sustainability, fleet planning and the circular economy in the aviation industry.
Key topics related to this text: "Airport operations"
