Trends of Middle East Aircraft Interior Market

The aircraft interiors industry is growing at 5.87% CAGR and predicted to be worth USD$40.2 billion globally by 2025. A significant portion of this will come from the Middle East as airlines bring on new aircraft as well as retrofit existing fleets. With Aircraft Interiors Middle East (AIME) returning to Dubai World Trade Centre 25-26 February 2020, interiors suppliers are looking to the event to access this burgeoning market.

IATA expects 8.2 billion annual passengers by 2037 with the centre of activity moving eastward to the Middle East and Asia. This growth has ramifications to the global aviation industry and perhaps no more so than the aircraft interiors sector as it services both existing and new aircraft. Meanwhile, the Middle East’s strategic foothold in the industry will strengthen not only due to its location but its growing position in the aviation market.

The aircraft interiors sector has already felt movement in the Middle Eastern market as aftermarket service providers anticipate and prepare for growth.  In early 2019, UK-based Trenchard Aviation Group sought and gained EASA and GCAA approval for their interiors MRO facility in Dubai.  It follows compatriot company, AIM Altitude, who have a manufacturing and services facility in Abu Dhabi to maintain contracts with Emirates, Etihad, Oman and Saudi Arabian airlines.

“The industry is very aware of the potential in the Middle East,” says Caryn McConnachie, Aerospace Director of show organisers Tarsus F&E LLC Middle East. “We are seeing increased interest in AIME from exhibitors based Europe and North America, seeking to take advantage of the regional opportunities.”

Demonstrating the global appeal of AIME 2020, Business France, the national agency for the international development of the French economy, will once again arrange a French Pavilion. Other international exhibitors already committed to the event include USA based Schneller, Mercury Airchair and Austrian materials provider Boxmark Leather. Boxmark Leather will use the exposure to the market to promote their newly developed leather, Queen. “Queen is a full grain leather with a natural pattern,” says Christian Schober, Key Account Manager at Boxmark Leather. “It has an elegant silky hand, full body structure and is ideal for business jets, VIP, First-Class or Business Class projects.”

AIME is co-located with MRO Middle East and will represent all sectors of the industry, from seating and lighting to flooring and IFEC technologies. For more information or to book your space please visit www.aime.aero.