World’s first ground handler to provide the service in the country~

New Delhi, October 12, 2023 - Air India SATS Airport Services Private Limited (AISATS), India’s leading airport services management company celebrated its 100th Robotic Aircraft Exterior Cleaning for Vistara at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) on October 11, 2023, using its automated aircraft cleaning service ‘AeroWash’. AISATS launched this service in June 2023 for Vistara and is the first and only ground handler in India to introduce such an innovative and sustainable aircraft exterior cleaning solution. Through these 100 aircraft exterior cleanings AISATS has helped Vistara save 1,000 tons of CO2 emissions and 120,000 litres of water. This 100th aircraft wash milestone is a testament to AISATS’s drive for providing innovative and tech-savvy airport services and encapsulates how this game-changing tech is being adopted as a new benchmark in aircraft exterior washing across the Indian aviation landscape.

AeroWash harnesses state-of-the-art robotic technology, delivering precise and efficient exterior cleaning while upholding the highest safety standards for both the aircraft and the equipment operators. This system minimizes the use of water during the cleaning service and reduces aerodynamic drag on aircrafts leading to lower fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions for airlines. It not only reduces aircraft ground time and lessens human intervention during the washing process but also cleans critical areas of the fuselage (crown, elevator, rudder) that manual cleaning might overlook. Furthermore, the eco-friendliness of this technology underscores that environmental sustainability and operational efficiency are not mutually exclusive goals for the aviation industry and can be achieved by utilizing the right equipment and green alternatives.

Commenting in this milestone, Sanjay Gupta, CEO of AISATS, said “AISATS is proud to undertake its 100th robotic aircraft exterior cleaning for Vistara. This technology represents a paradigm shift in the aviation industry's approach to maintaining aircraft cleanliness and appearance and sets new benchmarks for aircraft washing standards. AISATS remains steadfast in its commitment to sustainability, consistently striving to provide advanced, eco-friendly solutions to the aviation sector and introducing AeroWash to our industry is a testament in this direction.”

About Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt. Ltd (AISATS)

AISATS is a 50:50 joint venture between Air India Limited (TATA Group entity), and SATS Limited, a leading gateway services and food solutions provider in Asia.  As part of the Indian Government's initiative to upgrade its airports to world-class facilities and attract more airlines to fly into India, AISATS was formed with the vision to provide world-class airport services in ground and cargo handling that exceed customers’ expectations.

Since the start of its operations in 2008, AISATS has provided hassle-free and comprehensive solutions to its customer airlines in international airports at Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mangalore and Trivandrum. Currently employing over 12,000 staff, AISATS offers end-to-end ground handling services such as passenger and baggage handling, ramp handling, aircraft interior cleaning, load control and flight operations, and cargo handling services for general, perishable, transshipment, express courier and special cargo.