Fuel efficiency software plays an increasingly important role in airline operations. It helps reduce fuel burn, cut emissions, and meet regulatory targets. But what happens if the provider behind that software leaves the market?
Your teams have invested time in training and resources to make it work. Losing it without notice disrupts operations and creates avoidable risk.
This article outlines how to detect early warning signs that a vendor may exit the fuel efficiency market, and how to choose a provider that will remain committed over time.
What if your Software provider disappears?
Fuel efficiency software can be discontinued without warning. It may not result from a company shutdown, when a provider ceases all operations, but from an industry exit: the provider remains in business but exits your industry.
This kind of exit often happens quietly. The software may stop receiving updates, support response times decline, and integration requests are ignored… until reaching the final destination: product discontinuation and end-of-life.
For airlines, the consequences are not minor. Fuel efficiency directly affects operating margins, emissions compliance, and environmental goals are put at risk.
To avoid this, the next step is to understand how to recognize early signs of disengagement.
4 red flags indicating that your vendor might be quietly exiting your market sooner or later
Are risks mitigated when vendor is a Pure Player?
Choosing a vendor that isn’t a pure player in fuel efficiency is not inherently a problem, but fuel efficiency must still be treated as a serious business line.
If fuel efficiency is only a side project into a broader portfolio, it is more vulnerable to disinvestment or product discontinuation. This has happened before. Major OEMs like Honeywell, Boeing, and Rolls-Royce have withdrawn from the fuel efficiency software space. The pattern is consistent: when fuel-related software doesn’t generate revenue or align with core strategy, it is eventually phased out.
To avoid this risk, ask a few targeted questions:
- Is fuel efficiency your core business or a side project?
- Does the product generate direct revenue?
- What percentage of your revenue comes from fuel efficiency?
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How many FTEs work in fuel efficiency at the company?
These answers will help assess the level of commitment behind the product. While both models can work, pure players offer a different kind of reliability: their entire organization is focused on one problem. This often results in faster innovation cycles, clearer product direction, and a stronger alignment with airline needs.
Look at the user community
One of the most reliable indicators of a vendor’s stability and relevance is its customer base. Look at how many airlines it has onboarded recently. Also consider how openly existing customers share their experiences.
When airlines voluntarily highlight their results, it reflects both satisfaction and trust. In contrast, a vendor that cannot point to current, active customers or measurable outcomes may not be delivering consistent value.
A silent user base may point to declining engagement or product quality.
Choosing a committed provider
Being left behind by a software provider is a risk in any industry. Unfortunately, these exits often happen without clear warning, leaving airlines with unsupported tools and urgent replacement needs.
There are visible red flags that could ring a bell: bundled products, lack of communication, no recent updates, no roadmap, and signs that aviation is no longer a priority. Paying attention to these signals makes it possible to assess vendor stability before problems arise.
Choosing a partner who treats fuel efficiency as a core business, not a secondary offer, is essential.
Author
Solveig Moisan 
Chief Strategy Officer
OpenAirlines
