Crawley - As a sign of further natural consolidation in the air charter business, Hunt & Palmer PLC (H&P) are pleased to announce the acquisition of the entire shares in Aircraft Chartering Services Ltd upon the retirement of the founder Mark Hugo.

Aircraft Chartering Services Ltd (ACS Ltd, - not to be confused with the business jet operator Air Charter Scotland) was started in May 1986, coincidentally just a few weeks before H&P was formed. Over the years ACS Ltd established a diversified client base consisting of world-renowned orchestras, government departments, niche tour operators and various corporations.

The entire staff from the sole ACS Ltd office in Epsom, Surrey have now relocated to the iconic H&P office “The Tower” in Crawley, West Sussex.

Mark Hugo commented, “My decision to invite H&P to acquire ACS Ltd was simple because I knew Peter and Jeremy had built a business that shares my professional values and responsibilities to my clients, staff and suppliers.”

Jeremy Palmer said, “Peter and I have known Mark for over 40 years and always enjoyed great mutual respect. We consider it a privilege to be entrusted with Mark’s life’s work and look forward to further developing the ACS Ltd business as it very neatly complements H&P’s existing lines of commercial aviation, business jets, cargo charters and music tours. The ACS Ltd purchase mirrors our earlier acquisition of the music tour specialist Premier Aviation (UK) Ltd which has consistently produced a significant contribution to the H&P Group.”