Imperial Air Cargo sale to be finalised shortly

Imperial Air Cargo’s sale as part of the aviation division to an Irish leasing company may be finalised as early as next week, or by month’s end at the outside, IAC’s chief operating officer Muriel Sahd told FTW. Imperial Air Cargo is a division of Safair (70%), which in turn is currently 100% owned by Imperial Holdings. Imperial Holdings is in the process of selling its aviation division that includes Imperial Air Cargo to the Ireland-based firm, which can achieve its expansion goals into this region with the acquisition of Safair and IAC. “They see a good deal. They will not only have expanded their fleet and leasing portfolio but gain a foothold in Africa. There is good synergy there and they will acquire Safair’s and IAC’s experience, as we can provide services like aircraft maintenance (FAA and EASA approved) and operations,” said Sahd. IAC’s workforce will not be affected by the sale, and operations are expected to continue as usual. “This is exciting for us. There will be new opportunities and access to new and more aircraft,” said Sahd. She would not reveal the price the company is paying for Imperial Air Cargo. The latter company has experienced a significant growth in its volumes, in particular the Cape Town route. SAA Cargo is the main competition in the market. Sahd credits better service and good customer relations for the increase in business.