Aircraft Interiors Middle East

The two-day Aircraft Interiors Middle East (AIME) exhibition, set to take place in Dubai on 16 and17 June 2008, offers exhibitions and conference workshops dedicated to the very latest in aircraft cabin interiors, VIP interiors, in-flight catering and in-flight entertainment. More than 80 exhibitors will showcase their aircraft-interior related products and services.

The two-day Aircraft Interiors Middle East (AIME) exhibition, set to take place in Dubai on 16 and17 June 2008, offers exhibitions and conference workshops dedicated to the very latest in aircraft cabin interiors, VIP interiors, in-flight catering and in-flight entertainment. More than 80 exhibitors will showcase their aircraft-interior related products and services.

Aircraft Interiors Middle East is the perfect opportunity for key decision makers from regional airlines, the interior design industry and the business aviation industry to meet on a one-to-one basis with exhibitors. Visitors’ lounges will be dotted around the exhibition area and can be used as informal meeting places, as well as a place to relax and assess what has been seen so far, and an Internet Café will be available for the convenience of exhibitors and visitors.

The aviation market in the Arab world is phenomenal and growing almost daily. Statistics released by International Air Transport Association (IATA) reveal that passenger traffic in the Middle East had a growth of 15.1 percent during the first eleven months of 2006, which is way above the global average of 5.8 percent, giving some indication of the potential in this market. Reportedly, Boeing concluded $2.5 billion VIP jet and business aircraft sales in 2006, 70 percent of which were in the Middle East.

The national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways, has taken delivery of the first Airbus A330-200, bringing to 14 the total number of aircraft introduced to the airline’s fleet this year alone. Future Etihad Airways plans include adding to their fleet at the rate of one aircraft per month until their current fleet of 22 aircraft is increased to 45. The recently establish Ras Al Khaimah Airways has plans to purchase seven new aircraft within the next five years. The first private airline in the Middle East, Jazeera Airways, recently acquired a new Airbus A320 which, in keeping with efforts to reduce the impact of air travel on the environment, is powered by CFM 56 B engines designed for ultra low emission production. Jazeera Airways has an additional six aircraft on option from Airbus.

Aircraft Interiors Middle East opens on 16 June 2008 with an address by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktourn. This will be followed by the key note address under the title of “The Passenger Experience is Driving Investment” delivered by the President of Emirates Airline, Tim Clark. Seminars to take place later in the day include “Future Technologies for In-flight Catering” and “Talk Shop” – an overview of passenger communications and visual services. The program for 17 June includes “Links with Automotive Design”, “In-flight Entertainment – Where Do We Go Now?”, “Big Seats=Big Business” and “Going Green in Interiors”.

Clearly, anyone involved in any business or service related to aircraft interiors needs to attend Aircraft Interiors Middle East to ensure that they stay ahead of the pack in this fast moving market.