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The Air New Zealand subsidiary that helped design the Skycouch has been sold to a UK-based airline interiors design, engineering and manufacturing company.
The airline said on Monday its wholly-owned Altitude Aerospace Interiors was being offloaded to AIM Aviation.
Altitude Aerospace Interiors was established in 2008 and it workforce of about 100 staff designed, engineered and supplied cabin interiors for commercial airlines and VIP Boeing business jets.
Air NZ chief financial officer Rob McDonald said the airline had been exploring options to take Altitude Aerospace Interiors to the next stage of growth.
“A key objective of our Go Beyond strategy is to supercharge New Zealand’s success,” McDonald said in a statement.
“This is a great example of Air New Zealand fostering and developing an internal venture and then divesting at the right time when further resources, skills and expertise are needed to realise its growth potential.”
Altitude Aerospace Interiors made the bar units and other interior products for Virgin Australia and Air NZ’s Boeing 777-300ER fleet, according to the company’s website.
It also designed the glass divider that separates business class from economy on Virgin’s Boeing 737s.
The company also provided assistance on the design of Air NZ’s Skycounch, where the leg-rests on a row of three economy seats by the window folds up to create a flat sleeping space.
Meanwhile, AIM Aviation’s website showed the company has worked for Virgin Atlantic, Emirates and Korean Air.
“With rapid growth forecast in aircraft deliveries over the coming five years and premium airlines increasingly demanding bespoke interior solutions, this is an exciting opportunity for Altitude, which will gain access to AIM Aviation’s new UK based state-of-the art manufacturing facilities,” McDonald said.
The terms of the deal, which was expected to be completed at the end of September, were not disclosed.
