United Airlines has broken ground on a new 140,000ft² Ground Service Equipment (GSE) Maintenance Facility at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and has also inaugurated an advanced Technical Operations Training Center (TTC) in Houston, Texas, US.
The new GSE Maintenance Facility, with an investment of $177m, will enhance support for United’s fleet of more than 1,800 ground service vehicles.
Set to open in 2027, the facility will provide the company’s maintenance team, comprising more than 130 employees, with resources for essential tasks such as battery charging, metal fabrication, and electronic controls monitoring.
The facility aims for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification, boasting a 25% increase in repair space, 60% more shop space, 80% added storage capacity, and 50% more shared spaces compared to the current 40-year-old facility.
Alongside this GSE facility, the new $16m TTC will facilitate the integration of new aircraft into United’s fleet by 2032.
The 91,000ft² centre features sheet metal and composite training shops, desktop simulators, and specialised engine maintenance and inspection training areas.
Additionally, the TTC comprises a $6.3m Move Team Facility that will centralise the operations of more than 15 Super Tugs, crucial for moving aircraft across the airfield.
These investments are part of United’s ‘United Next’ strategy aimed at supporting the airline’s growth.
The strategy includes transforming the customer experience by introducing more than 500 new narrow-body aircraft, increasing seats per domestic departure by nearly 30%, reducing carbon emissions per seat, and creating thousands of unionised jobs by 2026.
United Airlines Airport Operations vice-president Phil Griffith said: “At United, we believe that investing in our people and our facilities is the key to maintaining our leadership in the aviation industry.
“With these new facilities, Ground Service Equipment Maintenance Facility and the Technical Operations Training Center, we are enhancing our ability to maintain a world-class fleet while empowering our employees with cutting-edge tools and training. This investment reflects our long-term vision for Houston as a critical hub for United’s operations and our commitment to sustainability, efficiency, and growth.”
These investments also follow the launch of the Terminal B renovation and expansion project by United.
Expected to be completed in 2026, this initiative will introduce 40 gates designed for larger aircraft, thereby enhancing capacity by 40% for passengers flying both domestically and internationally from IAH.
In May 2024, Granite secured an $89m subcontract to support the Terminal B renovation programme.
