A lifelong aviation enthusiast who joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in 2007, Curt came to&nbsp;the publication&nbsp;from the broadcast industry where he was a national science and technology television reporter and producer. He writes on the FBO field, aviation finance, and sustainable aviation and occasionally contributes to&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;sister publication&nbsp;Business Jet Traveler. Curt was a member of the AINtv reporting staff that won the 2008 Aerospace Journalist of the Year award for Best Airshow Daily. That same year, he was a finalist for another AJOYA award. He earned an AJOYA for Best Business Aviation Submission in 2018 and was a finalist in that category in 2021. He received the National Air Transportation Association’s&nbsp; Aviation Journalist Award in 2012 and won a Pegasus Sapphire Business Aviation Award for outstanding journalism in 2021.
Before joining AIN, Curt worked with&nbsp;Consumer Reports’ television division, CRTV, and for several local television news staffs. An honors graduate of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, he earned a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Boston University in 1995. Curt lives in New York State with his wife and two young sons.

Business Aviation Services Editor

Curt Epstein

World Kinect, the parent company of World Fuel Services, announced a blockbuster acquisition today with an agreement to purchase Universal Weather and Aviation’s trip support services (TSS) division. According to the company, the deal—expected to close by year-end—is worth approximately $220 million and will include the Universal Weather and Aviation brand name, as well as the agreements Universal has made with third-party ground handlers around the world.
“We’re excited to announce the agreement to acquire Universal Weather’s TSS division, which will significantly expand our trip support services business,” said World Kinect COO John Rau. “This strategic move complements our fuel business and enhances our ability to deliver comprehensive flight operations support—including flight planning, overflight permits, and ground support services—at more than 3,000 airports worldwide.”
The sale of its trip support division leaves Universal with Universal Aviation, its worldwide FBO and ground-handling supervisory network, as well as the Air Culinaire in-flight catering business.
Rau added that World looks forward to welcoming Universal’s TSS team in the move, which will bring immediate value to World’s customers. The transaction is expected to be completed in the next 60 to 90 days, meaning the two companies will still exhibit as separate entities next month at NBAA-BACE.

World Kinect To Buy Universal Weather and Aviation’s Trip-support Business

Deal is expected to close by the end of the year

World Kinect has acquired Universal Weather and Aviation’s name and trip support division.

World Kinect To Buy Universal Weather’s Trip-support Biz

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In this article

World Fuel Services

Universal Weather and Aviation

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