Oxfordshire Aviation company acquired by US Group

Oxfordshire-based Up & Away Aviation, which works with commercial airline and private aviation clients, has been acquired by Unifi Aviation, a ground aviation services company that forms part of the Argenbright Group.

Up & Away was founded in 2008 by Stefan Murphy and has grown exponentially under his leadership. Up & Away currently has a presence in thirteen UK airports, including Stansted (STN), Manchester (MAN), Birmingham (BHX), Newcastle (NCL), with an upcoming fourteenth location at London Gatwick Airport (LGW). In addition, Up & Away services select customers across more than 10 additional airports in the UK, including Bournemouth (BOH), London City (LCY), and Liverpool (LPL). Unifi aims to grow its UK business to more than $120 million in the region over the next three years, benefiting its key stakeholders, its customers and employees. Murphy will become Unifi’s Managing Director based in the UK.

Gautam Thakkar, CEO, Unifi: “Up & Away has earned a strong reputation for exceptional services. We look forward to working with Stefan and his team as they join the Unifi family and build upon Up & Away’s track record. More than 224 million passengers traveled to and from airports in the UK in 2022, and we are confident that our knowledge and experience from operating in 200+ airports, including the world’s busiest, will allow Unifi to replicate its success in the UK and provide the customers an exceptional experience.”

Stefan Murphy, Founder & Managing Director, Up & Away: “I have been fortunate to build this company from the ground up. I look forward to this immensely exciting phase of growth, and joining a leading aviation services organization like Unifi opens new doors. I want to thank George Rolls, our former Chairman, for his astute guidance and unwavering support through the formative years of the business and recent negotiations. I also want to thank all of Up & Away’s staff and customers for their loyalty and contributions, without which this exciting expansion would not be possible.”