Boeing projects the sector will need 2.4 million new aviation professionals by 2045, with demand spanning pilots, maintenance technicians and cabin crew. The 2026 Pilot and Technician Outlook puts the total at 674,000 pilots, 728,000 technicians and 1,023,000 cabin crew, with two-thirds of openings tied to retirements and the rest to fleet growth. The forecast lands alongside Boeing’s broader 20-year view of a global fleet nearing 50,095 aircraft, underscoring that labour constraints will track delivery ramps, digitalisation and cabin density changes across operators, MROs and training pipelines through the next two decades.