Jessica Reed is a writer and editor with AIN. She joined the team in the fall of 2023 after two years covering the aviation industry at Avionics International. She earned her bachelor&#039;s degree in English (Writing &amp; Rhetoric) from Pepperdine University. Her hometown is St. Louis, Missouri, and she since has resided in Santa Barbara, California, and Brooklyn, New York, among others. She is currently based in Vernon, New Jersey.

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Jessica Reed

Universal Aviation, the ground support division of Universal Weather and Aviation, is joining forces with Portuguese ground handling services provider Safeport to expand its footprint into Portugal and Cape Verde, the Houston-based company announced on October 21 at NBAA-BACE. This partnership bolsters Universal Aviation's ground support network and strategically positions it for Atlantic crossings.
The collaboration will see Safeport’s six locations co-branded under the Universal Aviation name. Safeport has facilities at five airports in Portugal—Humberto Delgado Airport (LPPT), Lisbon Cascais-Tejo Regional Airport (LPCS), Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (LPPR), Beja Airport (LPBJ), and Faro International Airport (LPFR)—and one in Cape Verde at Amílcar Cabral International Airport, also known as Sal International Airport (GVAC). Sal Island, a key tech stop on transatlantic routes, further strengthens the logistical support for business aviation operators.
“Portugal’s thriving business aviation market, coupled with Cape Verde’s strategic importance for Atlantic crossings, presents a unique opportunity for growth,” said Greg Evans, chairman of Universal Weather and Aviation. He emphasized Safeport’s 30-year history of serving high-profile clients and remarked that this agreement will lead to “improved multi-city coordination and enhanced intelligence feeding our global network.”
Safeport president and CEO Paulo Mirpuri noted that the partnership enhances Safeport's local expertise while leveraging Universal's global resources. “Forming an alliance with Universal Aviation allows us to elevate our three decades of local expertise to a global scale,” he said. “Universal’s worldwide resources, cutting-edge information sharing, and renowned safety standards complement our deep understanding of the Portugal and Cape Verde markets.”
In June,&nbsp;Universal Aviation expanded its handling network to the Cayman Islands, <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2024-06-18/universal-aviation-expands-handling-network-cayman">adding Cayman Dispatch Services</a>&nbsp;as a member of the company’s certified ground handling network at Owen Roberts International Airport (MWCR) in George Town, Grand Cayman.

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