AES at GSE Expo Europe 2026: Three Days, One Topic
Last week, the AES team was in Lisbon for GSE Expo Europe 2026. Three days at Stand H01, a lot of conversations, and one theme that came up again and again.
What people are really talking about on the ramp
Fleet renewal. More specifically, how to finance it without tying up capital that operations need elsewhere.
Most ground handlers know their fleet needs updating. The question is rarely whether to renew, it’s how to do it without a major upfront investment at a time when budgets are under pressure and traffic forecasts remain uncertain.
Operational leasing kept coming up as an answer. Instead of purchasing new units outright, operators access the fleet they need through a structured contract: maintenance and fleet management included, costs predictable, and capital preserved for what matters most in the day-to-day running of the operation.
Fleet renewal doesn’t have to mean a financial strain. With the right structure, it can be the smarter decision.
How we approached the show differently this year
This year, we tried something new on the stand. Visitors could put on a headset and explore a full-service leasing and maintenance setup in VR, before browsing our available GSE fleet on an interactive display. The idea was simple: show rather than tell, and make it easier to picture what an AES partnership looks like in practice before the conversation even starts.
Thank you, Lisbon
To everyone who stopped by Stand H01, thank you. It was great to meet so many of you, and the conversations were exactly what these events are for.
The topic on everyone’s mind in Lisbon isn’t going away. If you didn’t make it to the show, or if you want to pick up a conversation we started there, our team is ready.
And for those already looking ahead: we’ll see you at the International GSE Expo in New Orleans, October 19–21, 2027.
