AIME and MRO ME 2026 take off in Dubai
Last updated: Wednesday, February 4, 7:15 p.m. UAE Standard Time. Find updates below, with all timings in local time.
The expo floor opens for Day 1 of AIME 2026 in Dubai
Aircraft Interiors Middle East (AIME), co-located with MRO Middle East, kicked off this morning at the Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE. The two-day event enables attendees to connect with industry experts, discover new technologies and stay at the forefront of the aviation industry's evolution.
This is the largest event of its kind in the MENA region, with more than 7,500 attendees and 250 exhibitors gathering for the expo annually.
As Helen Curl, VP, Events, Aviation Week Network, tells PAX Tech, “AIME’s strength lies in its co-location with MRO Middle East, creating a single, highly focused platform that brings together the full aircraft lifecycle from interiors, cabin technology and passenger experience through to maintenance, repair, overhaul and aftermarket services.”
MRO Middle East brings together leaders in aircraft maintenance, repair and operations to explore the latest technologies and strategies shaping the industry, while the AIME pavilion showcases the latest trends in cabin design, passenger comfort and inflight entertainment, offering a glimpse into the future of aircraft interiors.
10:00 a.m. – Opening remarks
Both the MRO and AIME tracks at the GoLive! Theater space began at 10:00 a.m. today with opening remarks from Hannah Bonnett, Head of Conference Production, Aviation Week Network. This was immediately followed by the "MRO forecast presentation from Aviation Week Network" presented by Daniel Williams, Director, Fleet Data Services.
11:40 a.m. – AIME focused: IFEC architecture: Building a connected home in the sky
The first AIME panel of the event examined "IFEC architecture: Building a connected home in the sky," with panelists Riadh Jaidi, IFEC Engineering, Maintenance and Project Management Duty Manager, Gulf Air; Kevin Rogers, Senior Director, Connectivity, EMEA, Panasonic Avionics Corporation; and Abhishek Sengupta,Founder & CEO, Middle East Media Corp.
12:00 p.m. Fireside chat: CEO talk: Flyadeal’s MRO vision
Steven Greenway, Chief Executive Officer, flyadeal, with Lindsay Bjerregaard, Managing Editor MRO, Aviation Week Network at AIME 2026
Next on stage, Steven Greenway, Chief Executive Officer, flyadeal, joined Lindsay Bjerregaard, Managing Editor MRO, Aviation Week Network for a one-on-one conversation about flyadeal's MRO vision.
"Is the answer AI?" panel at AIME 2026
This session was followed by another MRO + AIME panel, entitled "Is the answer AI?" Panelists included Miguel Lopez, MD, Strategy and Consulting Middle East, Accenture; Khalil Mahri, Manager Airworthiness, Gulf Air; Hawkins Musili, General Manager / Head of Engineering Services, Fahari Aviation; and Miguel Sosa, Vice President and Head of Innovation, Trax. The session was moderated by Dr. Eng. Suaad Al Shamsi, 1st UAE Female Aircraft Engineer, Women in Aviation.
1:00 p.m. – Airbus’s Regional Ambition for the Middle East: Session hosted by Airbus
The afternoon began with a session hosted by Airbus' Laurent Negre, VP Customer Services for the Africa and Middle East, entitled "Airbus’s Regional Ambition for the Middle East."
Then, Damien Buist, Executive for Strategic Materials Initiatives, Representative for ASCIC, GE Aerospace, takes the stage for "Aviation Supply Chain Integrity Coalition (ASCIC) Introduction." This presentation introduced the Aviation Supply Chain Integrity Coalition (ASCIC)—formed in response to a major fraudulent engine parts and documentation incident—summarized its recommendations and shared implementation progress to reduce and mitigate Suspected Unapproved Parts (SUP)/counterfeit part and documentation across the aerospace propulsion supply chain.
3:00 p.m. – Panel discussion: Skyward Innovations - Where startups take flight
Skywards Innovation sessions at AIME and MRO ME 2026 in Dubai
The final panel of the day provided attendees an opportunity to hear new and innovative ideas competing to revolutionize the future of MRO and aircraft interiors. This pitch competition spotlighted the most innovative and diverse start-ups, moderated by Lindsay Bjerregaard, Managing Editor, MRO, Aviation Week Network; Abdelmalek Murad, VP Technical, Etihad Airways; and Phil Wardlaw, SVP Engineering Support Services, Emirates Engineering.
Insight from the expo floor
In addition to insightful discussion panels and pitch sessions, attendees at AIME and MRO ME 2026 took to the expo floor today to meet exhibitors and learn about the latest innovations on the market. See images from exhibitors below:
Royal Eagle Aviation
SCHROTH Safety Products
DKA Aerospace
HEICO
aviationscouts (part of the AEROTEC Group)
Mankiewicz
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