DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 14, 2017 Honeywell (NYSE: HON) and long-time customer Gulf Air, the Kingdom of Bahrain’s national carrier, have signed an agreement that sees the airline purchase Honeywell Auxiliary Power Units for its new, incoming fleet of 29 Airbus 320/321neo aircraft. Under the agreement, Honeywell will also provide maintenance, repair and overhaul services helping Gulf Air achieve greater cost predictability for future maintenance while reducing expenses when unexpected servicing is required.

“We are committed to being an airline industry leader, as shown by our selection of a modern fleet of Airbus A320neo aircraft. These aircraft along with Honeywell’s advanced auxiliary power units show a commitment to keeping our fleet up to date with the latest technologies,” said Captain Waleed Abdulhameed Al Alawi, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Air. “We are moving in the right direction, and with Honeywell’s APUs and the accompanying maintenance service agreement, we are better able to focus on providing our passengers with the performance and reliability they deserve.”

The Honeywell 131-9A auxiliary power unit (APU) is a critical piece of equipment on a plane, supplying the air source to start an aircraft’s main engines, as well as electrical power and air conditioning while the plane is on the ground to ensure maximum passenger comfort. The 131-9A is known for its reliability and lower maintenance costs over the course of its entire life cycle, resulting in significant fuel savings each year.

“Our experience and legacy in aerospace affords us the opportunity to provide the best technology, equipment and support services possible to some of the most innovative and customer-centric operators around the globe,” said Varant Panosian, senior director Customer Business at Honeywell Aerospace. “Gulf Air is a long-term customer of ours, and we are pleased to be chosen as the APU and maintenance service supplier for their new fleet of A320neo aircraft.”

Honeywell has a long history of producing APUs for aviation as the first company to produce a gas turbine APU in 1948 and continuing that trend with its family of 131-series APUs, one of the company’s most successful lines of APUs with more than 100 million hours in service.