Germany-based MRO, sales, management and charter company Atlas Air Service has acquired all of the shares in business aviation service provider AAL (formerly Altenrhein Aviation). The company already owns fellow German MRO Augsburg Air Service, purchased in 2014.

AAL, based in Altenrhein in eastern Switzerland on Lake Constance, is an authorised service centre for aircraft manufactured by Embraer Executive Jets, Gulfstream Aerospace (G150, G200, G280) and the Daher TBM family; in addition, business aircraft by Cessna and Pilatus are also serviced. Fifty employees generate a growing annual turnover of over 12 million Swiss francs.

Managing director Natascha Rode says: "In association with Atlas Air Service, we can now serve our customers even better, for example through joint AOG services and better availability of spare parts within the group. In addition, Atlas can support us in digitalisation and marketing."

AAL MRO managing director John van Emden adds: "Together with Atlas Air Service and Augsburg Air Service, we are a group that is five times larger than AAL on its own. High-value test equipment and tools can now be used within the whole group; thus we can expand our competence to the benefit of our customers."

"The employees and management of AAL have achieved a pleasingly positive development in recent years," says Atlas Air Service CEO Nicolas von Mende. "We will support the future growth and secure it with our experience, as Atlas Air Service has already proven with Augsburg Air Service. The ambitious management in Altenrhein will remain fully responsible for running AAL."

Atlas COO Gregor Bremer adds: "Aircraft maintenance requires knowledge and experience; the more, the better. That is why our maintenance customers in Augsburg and in Bremen will also benefit from the cooperation with Altenrhein."