Honeywell and Air India partner to provide APU 

The agreement includes complete maintenance assistance for Honeywell auxiliary power units (APU), ensuring high aircraft dispatch reliability and fleet availability while minimising unplanned maintenance costs.

Honeywell has signed a long-term agreement with Air India Limited, India’s top global airline and a Tata Group firm, to provide Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) aftermarket service for both existing and new fleets. The arrangement includes complete maintenance assistance for Honeywell APUs, assuring high aircraft dispatch reliability and fleet availability while minimising unplanned maintenance costs throughout Air India’s fleet.

The APU is a vital component of aircraft equipment that supplies electrical power and air conditioning to a plane when it is on the ground. It improves passenger comfort and provides an air source before a pilot may start the main engines. APUs are one of several Honeywell technologies driving the future of aviation. Honeywell’s business is connected with three global megatrends, including automation and energy transition.

Ashish Modi, President of Honeywell India, said, “We are delighted to strengthen our collaboration with Air India and help in its fleet modernization efforts, as part of a long-standing commitment to supporting the carrier’s innovation and growth objectives. This latest milestone in our 30-year-plus partnership with Air India is a testament to our key role in accelerating the growth of India’s aviation sector through innovative technology.”

With air travel steadily growing, the need for easily accessible aftermarket services continues to rise. Under the agreement, Honeywell will deliver to Air India comprehensive APU aftermarket support to ensure the continued reliability and efficiency of Air India’s extensive fleet of more than 300 aircraft. This includes its legacy fleet, which consists of over 100 A320 aircraft, 15 B777 aircraft and its new fleet of 190 B737-8 aircraft, and will cover Honeywell’s 131-9A, 131-9B and 331-500 series APUs. Honeywell’s extensive global service and support network is designed to ensure that APUs operate at optimal performance with minimal operational disruption.

Sisira Kanta Dash, chief technical officer, Air India, said: “This is an exciting milestone that adds to our long-standing partnership with Honeywell. This agreement forms part of our global growth and transformation plans, to help achieve more efficient, reliable operations, with maximized fleet availability, through Honeywell’s advanced technology services that enable us to continue meeting the needs of our valued customers.”

With over seven decades of experience and having produced over 100,000 gas turbine APUs, Honeywell is a trusted leader in auxiliary power solutions. Honeywell’s time-tested APUs are known for their reliability and play a crucial role in enhancing flight safety and ensuring operational dependability and fuel efficiency. Honeywell also offers a global, comprehensive support network with fully integrated service solutions that meet the industry’s evolving needs