Conversations continue in Dubai on final day of AIME and MRO ME 2026
Last updated: Thursday, February 5, 6:45 p.m. UAE Standard Time. Find updates below, with all timings in local time.
AIME and MRO ME 2026 expo floor at Dubai World Trade Centre
Aircraft Interiors Middle East (AIME), co-located with MRO Middle East, wraps up today at the Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE. The two-day expo 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.
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.
10:30 a.m. - Navigating the retrofit revolution
"Navigating the retrofit revolution" at AIME 2026
The second and final day of the 2026 event began with a GoLive! Theater session on "Navigating the retrofit revolution," with insights into integrating interior innovations with MRO planning to optimize capacity utilization, as airlines increasingly face the strategic dilemma of extending aging aircraft lifespans versus investing in comprehensive cabin refreshes.
The panel, moderated by Dr. Praveen Srivastava, Chief Executive Officer, Aerochamp, included panelists Kelvin Boyette, Vice President of Business Development, AeroMech Incorporated; Robert Dando, Director Technical Centre and C-Check Maintenance, Air Astana; Marc Muller, Head of Services Sales – Africa & Middle East, Airbus; and Shahin Sulaiman Al Taher, Head of Aircraft Oversight Section, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority.
These industry experts examined how persistent material availability issues are impacting maintenance margins while certification bottlenecks further complicate timelines.
12:45 p.m. – AIME focused session: Redefining cabin accessibility for passengers with reduced mobility
Suhail Amshan, Senior Manager Emirates Office of Accessibility & Inclusion, Emirates Airline at AIME 2026
In the AIME focused session "Redefining cabin accessibility for passengers with reduced mobility" Lindsay Bjerregaard, Managing Editor MRO, Aviation Week, sat down with Suhail Amshan, Senior Manager Emirates Office of Accessibility & Inclusion, Emirates Airline for a one-on-conversation.
This session highlighted how passengers with reduced mobility move within and interact with cabin environments, looking at improved ergonomics and maneuverability of onboard wheelchairs, latest innovations in lavatory designs and inclusive inflight entertainment possibilities
1:45 p.m. – Championing continuous sustainability
"Championing continuous sustainability" at AIME 2026
In the afternoon, MRO ME and AIME attendees gathered in the GoLive! Theater for a session on "Championing continuous sustainability" moderated by Nairouz Bader, CEO, Envision Partnership. In this session, panelists Mehdi Bouchenak, CEO, Safran Emarat Ltd and Dr. Praveen Srivastava, Chief Executive Officer, Aerochamp, discussed some of the key challenges in implementing green initiatives and some of the recent hurdles in trying to increase sustainability.
The 2026 sessions concluded with closing remarks at 2:55 p.m., with the expo floor remaining open until 4:00 p.m.
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:
ABC International
Isovolta
Aviotinteriors
aviationscouts (part of Aerotec Group)
HAECO
TCI Aircraft Interiors
Percival Aviation
Aerochamp
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