India’s biggest airline IndiGo has signed a deal with a Swedish innovation company to fit innovative nozzles that will reduce onboard water consumption by up to 98%. The carrier’s all-Airbus fleet of 358 aircraft is being retrofitted to incorporate the new nozzles.
Using innovative design technology produced by Swedish company Altered, the nozzles are being fitted fleetwide by IndiGo on all bathroom and galley taps and water outlet points.
According to the airline, this innovation will lead to savings from both fuel and water costs, along with a significant reduction in carbon emissions. With each aircraft carrying less water, their weight decreases meaning less fuel is burnt during operation.
IndiGo claims this concept to be the first application of its kind of water conservation solutions for the aviation sector. The modification will also help solve the challenge of water quantities carried on long-haul flights, according to the airline.
“IndiGo is proud to partner with Altered to integrate this low-effort but high-impact solution for making our day-to-day operations more sustainable,” said Captain Ashim Mittra, Senior Vice President of flight operations at IndiGo. “As India’s leading airline, we are committed to helping address the scarcity of natural resources and the increasing impact of climate change. We understand the importance of sustainability for our future generations, and with this new initiative, we aim to conserve water and reduce carbon emissions in our operations.”
“Our ambition is to redefine water saving for everyone and partnering with IndiGo gave us a golden opportunity to bring a significant impact through a small change,” said Johan Nihlen, CEO of Altered. “Today, IndiGo is the world’s first airline to integrate our solution across its fleet, setting a sustainable benchmark for the industry.”
Delhi-based IndiGo currently operates a fleet of 358 aircraft on domestic and international routes from India. It also uses a pair of wet-leased Boeing 777-300ERs for flights to Europe. The carrier currently serves 115 destinations in 23 countries and operates on 622 individual routes.
The airline also has a huge order book to meet the soaring demand for air travel in India in the coming years. It has 954 outstanding aircraft orders, including 271 A320neos, 384 A321neos, and 224 A321NX.
