Eagle Aviation has purchased the business and assets of Groundcare Solutions (UK), a London-based handling agent that repatriates more than 1,000 bags a day - crucially covering the majority of airline contracts at Heathrow.
The acquisition secures 80 jobs - taking the Bathgate-headquartered firm’s headcount to beyond 200 - with plans to continue growth through new hires across the network, in both London and Scotland.
Eagle's operations manager Samuel Milne said: “Groundcare Solutions shares our commitment to customer experience and service, while understanding how frustrating problems with luggage can be.
“The move will welcome many dedicated staff members to our team giving us the scale and resources to expand and grow as the industry recovers from the pandemic while providing a service our customers and partners can rely on.”
The firm is now the UK and Northern Ireland’s leading baggage repatriation company providing a daily service to 33 airports and 120 airline groups, with over 40 new airlines being serviced since September.
Handling and returning more than 800,000 bags per year to their owner-travellers, Eagle Aviation clients include Emirates, British Airways, Iberia, KLM, Air France, Ethiopian Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, Loganair, Etihad, and Ryanair.
The latest deal further increases the company’s presence south of the border, after the acquisition of Wey Group International in 2018 - based in Byfleet, Surrey.
Milne added: “Eagle has been able to adapt aspects of business quickly throughout recent challenging times - with unpredictable fuel prices and fall out from Brexit and the pandemic still playing a major part in our operations, this acquisition will give us stability to delve into all the possibilities the current market conditions present.”
Eagle Aviation covers all of the main English, Welsh and Scottish regional airports, as well as Belfast and Dublin.
The business was launched in 2020 by Fiona Deas and Samuel Milne, part of the established Eagle Couriers, which has been trading since 1985.
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