Story ID: 
Universal Aviation Acquires Spanish Ground Handler
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: Following several years of partnership, Universal Aviation has acquired Andalucia Aviation's seven locations in Spain.
Word Count: 240
Universal Aviation has acquired Andalucia Aviation and its seven locations in Spain. The two companies have had close ties since 2019, when Universal took a minority stake in the company. Since then, Universal has steadily increased its stake in the company until it became the sole shareholder earlier this year.
Andalucia established ground handling offices at seven airports in Spain: Almería (LEAM), Ciudad Real (LERL), Federico García Lorca Granada-Jaén (LEGR), Jerez (LEJR), Seville (LEZL), Málaga-Costa del Sol (LEMG), and Menorca (LEMH). Gonzalo Barona Jr., general manager of Universal’s Spain unit, said the transition of these to Universal branding will be seamless, with the staff retained at each office. These locations join Universal Spain's existing facilities in Madrid (LEMD), Barcelona (LEBL), and Girona (LEGE).
“Universal Aviation Spain has had a long and tremendous relationship working with Andalucia Aviation,” said Barona. “Over the last year, we’ve upped standards at the seven cobranded partner locations and are now pleased to complete the transition of those locations to fully-branded Universal Aviation locations. 
“We began the acquisition of Andalucia Aviation during the pandemic because we forecasted the rebound in leisure travel to Southern Spain,” he added. “We’re thrilled to complete the branding transition in time for another summer of record-setting traffic volumes we anticipate.”