Fake-parts scandal pushes aviation giants to rethink safeguards

Boeing Co., General Electric Co. and a roster of aviation heavyweights are exploring new safeguards after rogue parts were discovered on passenger jets around the world in one of the industry’s biggest recent scandals.

A coalition set to be announced Thursday aims to stop unauthorized aircraft components from entering the global supply chain, according to a GE Aerospace representative. Other founding members of the group include Delta Air Lines Inc., Airbus SE, American Airlines Group Inc. and United Airlines Holdings Inc.

The alliance represents the industry’s most direct response yet to the parts scandal, which was first reported by Bloomberg News last year. AOG Technics Ltd., a little known UK distributor of spare aircraft parts, was accused of selling thousands of components backed by forged documentation, prompting a global race by airlines to track down suspect parts.

In December, the UK’s top fraud authorities raided the home of the AOG director at the center of the scandal and arrested him.

The industry coalition earlier this month began a 90-day review to identify potential reforms and plans to make recommendations in a report later this year, according to GE. Aircraft maintenance provider StandardAero and engine-maker Safran SA are also founding members of the group.

The response comes as demand for aircraft components and engine parts is soaring, particularly for those used on older Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 jets, as the planemakers struggle to lift production of the latest models to pre-pandemic levels.