Rockwell Collins and B/E Aerospace will consolidate headquarters and move quickly to realise synergies, Rockwell Collins said Monday after announcing plans to acquire aircraft cabin supplier B/E Aerospace for US$8.3b in a deal that is expected to complete in spring 2017. Rockwell Collins said it had entered a definitive agreement to acquire B/E Aerospace for approximately $6.4b in cash and stock, plus it will take on $1.9b in net debt. The agreement is subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals. B/E Aerospace is a significant player in the global aircraft cabin interiors’ market, employing around 10,000 staff. “This combination delivers significant long-term benefits neither company could realise on its own,” B/E Aerospace founder and chairman Amin Khoury said. <br/>
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Inflight entertainment and connectivity provider Panasonic Avionics will team with app developer Flight Level Media (FLM) to offer a collection of inflight social media applications, the companies said Oct 24. The announcement expands their present 2-year partnership to a multi-year collaboration. Initially, the companies will launch a Facebook inflight posting app that will enable passengers to post one-directional free messages throughout a flight. Messages will include real-time flight data showing the aircraft’s altitude, type, air speed and other information specific to the flight. Both companies are espousing the advertising, promotional and click-through opportunities inherent in the new app. The Facebook app launch will be followed by applications for Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter, the developers said. <br/>
With Thanksgiving less than a month away, airlines and airports — not to mention savvy travellers — are bracing for what could be a record-setting year-end holiday travel season in the US. Capping a year in which lower fuel prices kept airline ticket prices down, and a more robust economy spurred an increase in passengers, the coming holiday season could make airports more crowded than ever. A4A has not yet issued projections on passenger numbers for the holiday season. But airport operators are already preparing to accommodate a bigger-than-usual surge. At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, the world’s busiest, officials expect 4 to 6% more passengers in November and December than during last year’s holiday season, when 16.6m travellers passed through. <br/>
Embraer has reached agreement with the US and Brazil to resolve a 6 year investigation into corruption at the aircraft maker. Embraer will pay almost US$206m to the US and Brazil, and will be monitored for up to 3 years to ensure the settlement terms are complied with. “Embraer executives and employees paid bribes to govt officials and falsified books and records in connection with aircraft sales to foreign govts and state-owned entities in multiple countries,” the US Justice Department said. In acceptance of the agreement Embraer said “the company acknowledges responsibility for the conduct of its employees and agents according to the facts ascertained in the investigation.” As part of the agreement, no charges will be brought against Embraer if it honours the settlement. <br/>