ATSG Sells Omni Air to Founder-Led Group to Unblock $2.53B Chicago Parking Meter Deal

Air Transport Services Group agreed to sell charter airline Omni Air International to OAI Holdings, a group led by founder Robert Coretz, to resolve political opposition to a $2.53 billion Chicago parking meter concession, the company said. The buyer group includes former Sun Country Airlines CEO Jude Bricker and Kaiser-Francis Oil president Robert Waldo. OAI Holdings was registered in Nevada on Sept. 22, six days before the announcement. Terms were not disclosed; the deal is expected to close in Q4 2026 or early 2027. Stonepeak, which acquired ATSG in 2025, faced pressure from Chicago City Council members to divest Omni by Sept. 30 over its deportation flights for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The council conditioned approval of Stonepeak's 75-year, 36,000-meter lease on the sale. Stonepeak will pay Chicago $75 million at closing plus 5% of net operating income annually. Coretz founded Omni in 1993 and sold it to ATSG in 2018 for $845 million. Analysts expect the distressed sale price to be lower.