Heavy lift airline Maximus nearly doubles revenue in first half

Maximus Air Cargo, the Abu-Dhabi heavy-lift airline, has posted gross revenues 43 per cent ahead of the current US$100 million target and first half gross of $45.5 million compared to $47.4 million in sales for all of 2007.

The airline also said it enjoyed an almost five-fold increase in aircraft hours sold to 3,685 year on year in the first half and that ton kilometres flown grew 5.5 times to 154,700.

"We are now on track," says Maximus CEO Fathi Hilal Buhazza.

"Highlights of the year to date include securing additional short and medium term contracts on both Airbus A300-600 aircraft - flying regular scheduled services on behalf of Etihad Airways, Air France and Sudan Airways - as well as concluding a formal cooperation agreement with the UAE Red Crescent Authority with Maximus appointed as exclusive partner for air relief support," said a company statement.

Maximus was also voted Air Cargo Operator of the Year, at the 2008 Middle East Supply Chain And Transport Awards (SCATA).

Maximus has a staff of more than 130 aviation professionals. The company runs eight all-cargo Antonov An-124-100, Airbus A300-600RF, Ilyushin IL-76TD, and Lockheed Hercules L382G aircraft operating across the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and Asia.