LOS ANGELES, 9 Nov. 2012. Global Eagle Acquisition Corp. intends to acquire Row 44 Inc. (Row 44) and approximately 86 percent of the issued and outstanding shares of Frankfurt-listed Advanced Inflight Alliance AG (AIA) to build “the largest entertainment and connectivity platform for the worldwide airline industry,” says a company representative.
AIA supplies games, movies, general entertainment, and applications to the airline industry, serving more than 130 airlines worldwide. Row 44 is a satellite-based broadband service provider to the global airline industry; its in-flight entertainment connectivity system is installed on more than 400 aircraft worldwide.
"By combining AIA's access to the installed inflight entertainment market with Row 44's WiFi to mobile device capability, Global Eagle has potential access to 100% of the airline passenger experience, creating an addressable market as large as the global airline industry," says Harry Sloan, chairman and CEO of Global Eagle. Sloan and co-founder Jeff Sagansky find that “this marriage of content, connectivity, and capital will create a superior platform to exploit the rapidly expanding global airline industry as it increasingly focuses on the in-cabin entertainment experience and other ancillary revenue opportunities.”
Following the closing, Global Eagle will own 100 percent of the equity of Row 44 and approximately 86 percent of the issued and outstanding shares of AIA, and be renamed Global Eagle Entertainment Inc.
