Omni Air resold to founder to save $2.5B Chicago parking meter deal
Who is the secretive buyer of ICE carrier Omni Air? The post Omni Air resold to founder to save $2.5B Chicago parking meter deal appeared first on FreightWaves .
Jude Bricker, the founder of Omni Air International and former Sun Country Airlines CEO, has acquired the airline from private equity firm Stonepeak. Stonepeak was required to sell Omni Air due to its parking meter concession deal with the city of Chicago, which faced objections over deportation flights. Air Transport Services Group announced the sale to OAI Holdings, a company created by Bricker and Robert Coretz, and stated that the transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter or early 2027.
The new management team brings deep aviation expertise. The sale price was not disclosed, but it is likely that Bricker and Coretz paid less than they originally sold the company for, as it is a distressed asset. Omni Air has been conducting deportation flights for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but the number of flights increased recently.
The city of Chicago narrowly approved the sale of the parking meter deal after a group of councillors struck a deal with Stonepeak to sell Omni Air. Omni Air operates two Boeing 767-300 passenger jets for the New England Patriots and has a fleet of 11 aircraft.
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