Video Clip: Insights from Unum on the AIME show floor
An interview with Alan McInnes in Dubai
This week, PAX Tech Business Editor Robynne Trueman sat down with Alan McInnes, VP Business Development, Unum Aircraft Seating, for an update from the expo floor at AIME and MRO Middle East in Dubai.
McInnes notes that the show floor was extremely busy, praising the impressive turnout for the 2025 edition of the largest Aircraft Interiors gathering in the MEASA region. He says there was a noticeable presence of augmented reality, AI, data enablement and data tracking on the MRO Middle East side of the event.
In terms of how the market differs in the MEASA region compared Europe or the Americas, McInnes says passenger expectations vary globally, with airlines in the Middle East notably delivering a top-notch quality of service.
“If you look at the preponderance of five-star airlines [globally], the Middle East dominates, and airlines in the region have set those standards,” he explains, adding that some of this influence comes from the cultures of the region. “There is a reputation for hospitality and sociability that I think drives the experiences on the aircraft.”
He cites Qatar Airways’ QSuites as an example of the “halo products” that airlines in the MEASA region use to shape the passenger experience in the cabin.
“These elements, if you analyze them, are about that sociability and hospitality, very much reflecting the expectations and wants of the passenger,” McInnes explains. He compares this aspect of MEASA region travel to the differing needs of solo business travellers on transatlantic flights between Europe and North America, where passengers are instead looking for more of an insular experience with greater privacy.
Interestingly, McInnes says there are not a lot of premium seating products on display at AIME 2025, with seating stands dominated by Economy Class products.
“The airlines in the region have had this huge investment on their premium products and that's not truly been reflected through the show,” he explains, noting that the event is around 75 percent MRO focused and 25 percent aircraft interiors.
However, McInnes revealed that in speaking to the organizers, AIME and MRO ME 2026 are expected to have less division between the aircraft interiors element and MRO element of the show. Instead, the AIME exhibitors will be dispersed throughout the expo floor.
While Unum did not have a booth or seat at AIME 2025, McInnes says the company is gearing up to showcase its product at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg this April and is looking at exhibiting at AIME in Dubai in the coming years if the growth in visitor numbers and airline engagement continues its upward trend.
