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- Dubai 04:33 05:50 12:21 15:48 18:46 20:03
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Maximus Air Cargo plans to invest $500 million (Dh1.8 billion) before 2010 to beef up its eight-plane fleet. Four new planes will be added, with a capacity of 20 to 120 tonnes. The new additions will include two Airbus E300-600s and two Airbus A330s, said Fathi Buhazza, executive director of the Abu Dhabi-based company, adding that he expects profits to grow by $15m to $20m (Dh55m to Dh73.4m) in 2008. Since the establishment of the company in 2005, assets have grown by 50 per cent to $145m (Dh532m) this year, he said. The cargo carrier first took off when it acquired an Air Operators Certificate as well as a second certificate for civil aviation safety after it passed aviation checks and detailed inspection tests conducted by the Civil Aviation Authority, showing that it conformed to the international criteria. The status allows Maximus to operate flights from the UAE skies and to register its planes as well as add Airbus and Lockheed planes to its fleet. Buhazza said the company is the sole operator with four different types of transport airplanes in the Middle East. Maximus is also the only carrier in the region to use Russian-made Antonov transport planes, which can carry up to 120 tonnes. Meanwhile, in addition to the company’s marketing office in Britain, Maximus is planning to open a branch in Sudan in partnership with a company there. Buhazza said Sudan is Africa’s gateway and needs an air transport service that can operate anywhere as many of its neighbours are unable to afford to build airports and airfields. He also said Iranian and Iraqi markets look promising and Maximus hopes to expand its service. The company has experience of flying into troubled areas. It helped to transport aid to Sudan and to areas damaged in Lebanon following the 2006 war. It also delivered aid to earthquake victims in Pakistan as well as survivors of the tsunami disaster in Southeast Asia. |
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