PrimeFlight Aviation Services, a provider of outsourced, flight critical aviation services to airlines and airports, announced the acquisition of GAT Airline Ground Support (“GAT”).
GAT provides mission-critical ground handling, cargo handling and, under its Sky Café brand, catering services to airline customers across the United States and Canada. Headquartered in Peachtree City, Georgia, GAT has approximately 6,000 employees and operates at nearly 70 airports across North America.
Charlotte Cheatham, COO and EVP for PrimeFlight, explained: “We are incredibly excited to welcome the GAT team to PrimeFlight and hope this transaction signals our longstanding commitment to providing our airline partners with world class aviation services.
“This acquisition is a significant milestone in our strategic growth plan. GAT greatly expands our ground handling footprint and further enhances our relationship with our airline partners through the addition of highly complementary capabilities, stations, and relationships.
“The combination will allow us to leverage operational efficiencies to better serve the industry.”
The acquisition brings two leading organisations together to operate as a more diversified global provider of aviation services.
Following the transaction, PrimeFlight now operates at more than 250 airports and service locations across six continents and adds catering services to its existing strength in fueling, ground handling, cargo handling, GSE manufacturing, and GSE maintenance, among other services.
GAT provides PrimeFlight with new stations, adds longstanding customer relationships, and deepens its below-wing capabilities, positioning PrimeFlight for long-term success.
The added scale will enable PrimeFlight to invest more significantly in its people, training, technology, safety, equipment, and operational resilience.
Mike Hough, Chief Executive Officer of GAT, said: “As we join PrimeFlight, we’re incredibly excited to become part of one of the world’s largest aviation and ground handling organisations—one that shares our commitment to people, safety, and operational excellence.
“Together, we’re positioned to build an even stronger future for our employees, our customers, and the industry as a whole.”
While PrimeFlight will maintain the Sky Café brand and operations for its catering service offering, GAT’s other operations and brands will be fully integrated into PrimeFlight in the coming months.
DLA Piper served as legal counsel, and PwC provided financial advice, for PrimeFlight.