Abu Dhabi-based Maximus Air Cargo may be a newcomer to the air cargo scene after being established only two years ago, but it has rapidly become the largest all-cargo airline in the UnitedArab Emirates.
Specialising in outsized, heavy and special cargo needs, Maximus’ service offering covers everything from scheduled, to charter, government, military, humanitarian, royal, VIP to private air transport.
While much of Maximus business is ad hoc, the group’s marketing director Thomas Bommer said it typically runs a couple of fl ights a week within the Middle East region and Southeast Asia provides a fair amount of demand for fl ights into unprepared terrain in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Its fully-owned fleet of primarily Russian-sourced aircraft including the Ilyushin Il-76TD and Antonov An-124- 100 Ruslan, has been expanded with the recent delivery of an Airbus A300-600 freighter and more recently a Lockheed L-100-30 Hercules.
The Hercules is particularly suited for operation from unprepared runways where there is very little groundsupport.
“This brings our total fl eet to eight by the end of the year and represents a 100 per cent growth rate over the last 2 years,” said Fathi Hilal Buhazza the airlines president and CEO.
Bommer said the group will continue to grow the fl eet, but in the meantime is looking to partner other operators. Saying Maximus was “in talks” with another operator, but declining to elaborate, Bommer said the group is looking for a strategic alliance that will enable them to come up with“better, more practical solutions” forthe out-sized cargo needs of theircustomers.
– Donald Urquhart