The shake-out of the European charting and navigation services market is continuing, with SAS Flight Support agreeing to purchase Thales Avionics UK's Aeronautical Services Group (ASG). The deal provides the SAS business with a much-needed navigation database capability.
The acquisition is a bid by SAS Flight Support to create a European competitor to Boeing-owned Jeppesen and to take on Lufthansa subsidiary Lido, its European rival, which expanded with the purchase of Swissair Flight Support last year.
ASG is the former Aerad business which was sold by British Airways to Racal Avionics (now Thales Avionics UK) in 1997. Thales is selling the Hersham, UK-based business, which has 60 staff, as it does not fit with its core business. SAS Flight Support says ASG will provide it with a "complete product portfolio".
The deal, terms of which have not been disclosed, is expected to close by year-end, when the SAS Unit will be renamed European Aeronautical Group.
Source: Flight International
