Maximus wins Etihad cargo contract

The first flights began on July 1, using two of Maximus' UAE-registered Airbus A300-600RF aircraft serving Nairobi, Chennai, Colombo, and Bangalore, and will grow to 281 operating hours per month by the end of August.

From September, Maximus will begin two flights a week to Khartoum, Calcutta, Dacca, and Guangzhou, with a once a week service to Addis Ababa, Tripoli, and Milan. Total operating hours will be 291 per month.

Maximus has said it will acquire another factory-built A300-600 freighter this summer to fulfil the Etihad contract.

Fathi Buhazza, Maximus Air Cargo's president and chief executive, said: “This additional contract work will increase Maximus' fleet to nine all-cargo aircraft and will further reduce the average age of the Airbus A300 fleet to a remarkable 8.6 years.” James Hogan,  Etihad Airways’ chief, said: “This contract is about flying close to 600 hours a month with the two Airbus A300 cargo aircraft on a tight, fine-tuned schedule. Maximus was selected for its ability and proven record of reliability in high utilisation aircraft lease operations.”

Maximus is the largest freighter-only air operator in the Middle East and currently has a staff of more than 140, operating a fleet of 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.

It operates regular scheduled cargo services on behalf of airlines including Etihad, Iberia, Air France, and Sudan Airways, and is also the exclusive air relief support partner for the UAE Red Crescent.

One of Maximus' A300Fs