IATA Announces Madrid Debut for WMES 2026 as Aviation Industry Tackles Maintenance Bottlenecks and Delivery Delays

(IN SHORT) The International Air Transport Association has launched the World Maintenance & Engineering Symposium, a new industry event focused on aircraft maintenance, engineering and supply chain resilience. The first WMES will take place in Madrid on June 24–25, 2026, under the theme “Reviving the Supply Chain.” The event will address supply chain instability, engine maintenance bottlenecks, aircraft delivery delays, parts availability, maintenance planning and rising costs, while also exploring operational improvements through artificial intelligence, maintenance information systems, eTechLog, digital records and predictive maintenance. Key speakers will include IATA Director General Willie Walsh, Airbus’ Andre Schneider, Boeing’s Aman Sandhu, IATA’s Nick Careen and IATA’s Stuart Fox. The symposium will bring together aviation technical operations professionals and industry leaders to discuss practical solutions, emerging technologies, regulatory developments and best practices shaping the future of aircraft maintenance and engineering.

(PRESS RELEASE) GENEVA, Switzerland, 2026-Jun-1 — /Travel PR News/ — The International Air Transport Association has launched the World Maintenance & Engineering Symposium, a new global aviation event designed to address supply chain disruption and other pressing challenges affecting aircraft maintenance and engineering.

The first edition of the World Maintenance & Engineering Symposium, or WMES, will take place in Madrid, Spain, on June 24–25, 2026. Held under the theme “Reviving the Supply Chain,” the event will bring together aviation technical operations professionals, industry leaders and maintenance experts to focus on practical ways to improve reliability, strengthen resilience and support the future of aircraft maintenance.

IATA said the symposium has been created at a time when supply chain instability, engine maintenance bottlenecks and aircraft delivery delays continue to affect airline efficiency and raise costs across the industry.

Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, said these pressures are holding back operational efficiency and increasing costs for airlines and aviation stakeholders. He said the first WMES will give the industry an opportunity to collectively explore practical solutions that can restore reliability and reinforce resilience.

The symposium will feature keynote contributions from senior leaders across aviation and aerospace. Speakers will include Willie Walsh; Andre Schneider, Head of Engineering and Maintenance at Airbus; Aman Sandhu, Director of Systems, Service Engineering at Boeing; Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety and Security; and Stuart Fox, IATA’s Director of Flight and Technical Operations.

WMES will be structured around two main tracks focused on critical issues affecting the aerospace supply chain and maintenance operations. The Supply Chain Track will examine aircraft and engine delivery delays, parts availability, maintenance planning and cost management.

The Operational Efficiency Track will focus on measures to improve maintenance performance, reliability and cost control. Topics will include artificial intelligence, maintenance information systems, eTechLog, digital records and predictive maintenance.

The programme will also include sessions on Used Serviceable Materials, Removal of Disabled Aircraft and the Future of Workforce. These topics reflect the broad set of technical, operational and workforce-related pressures currently shaping maintenance and engineering across global aviation.

Through the new symposium, IATA aims to provide a platform for the industry to examine current challenges, assess emerging technologies, discuss regulatory developments and share best practices that can support the future of aircraft maintenance and engineering.

WMES will be open to accredited members of the press.

IATA represents more than 370 airlines, accounting for around 85% of global air traffic.

For more information, please contact:

Corporate Communications
Tel: +41 22 770 2967
Email: corpcomms@iata.org

SOURCE: International Air Transport Association (IATA)