Time flies

zoom

The increasingly attractive lures of the Middle East airfreight sector again became apparent last month as MIDEX Airlines launched operations in the region. Signified by the all cargo carrier's position as the UAE's only privately owned scheduled national airline, the new arrival looks certain to capture much interest from domestic and international industry insiders alike.

Marking the occasion by showcasing its capabilities at the Dubai Air Show last November, intrigue towards the airline has been mounting since. Part of the MIDEX international group, an integrated French logistics company much in the mould of such giants as DHL and UPS, the airline is backed by notable financial and reputable strength.

"This is the first time the MIDEX Group has placed its branding on an airline," says Jassim Al Bastaki, director, MIDEX Airlines. "We initiated operations towards the end of December and have begun serving six destinations from our new hub at Al Ain International Airport. Our motto is ‘It is on time or it is on us', which promises a commitment to our customers that we will be on time. We have taken every possible measure to ensure our new operations live up to this promise.

A two year period was taken to prepare for the recent launch, a fact that suggests no stone has been left unturned in its quest to create a seamless airfreight operation. The first phase of the new set up sees MIDEX serve six destinations in total from its base in Al Ain using a fleet of six Airbus A300B4-203Fs. This includes two locations in India; Mumbai and Kochin, Dhaka in Bangladesh, Istanbul in Turkey, Beirut in Lebanon and Orly in France; home of the MIDEX Group.

A common concept, MIDEX joins a host of other European forwarders that use the Middle East as a gateway between the East and West. Delivering a combination of general cargo and courier items, the airline believes roughly 30% of goods coming from the Asian destinations will be distributed in the Middle East, with the 70% remaining majority being delivered across Europe and onto the US. "Most of the cargo arriving from Bombay and Dhaka are textiles and garments, while from Cochin, it is largely fresh fruits and vegetables, which are catered for through temperature controlled storage areas onboard our Airbus aircrafts," says Al Bastaki.

"There is strategic planning behind every destination we serve. Al Ain, for example allows us to easily distribute goods across the UAE and Oman. Beirut allows us to serve Lebanon, Jordan and the Damascus region, Istanbul gives us good access to Eastern Europe and, of course, Orly, which is in close proximity to Paris, allows us connections to central Europe and the US," he notes.

By offering daily scheduled flights from Al Ain airport to each destination, the carrier has entered the market in a relatively unique format in comparison to previous newcomers, which have tended to begin operations with a softer charter approach. MIDEX's entrance is also distinguishable by the fact the airline fully owns its fleet. "One of MIDEX Airlines key strengths is that we own our fleet. By not leasing or borrowing from the bank, we are able to carefully monitor our exact costs and track both our freight and our rates," says Al Bastaki.

The Airbus A200B4-203F aircraft is capable of carrying up to 45 tonnes of cargo and comes with an automated landing system. The six aircrafts combined therefore allow MIDEX to offer a total capacity of 200 tonnes daily on a network that stretches from Al Ain either side to Orly and Dhaka.

"In the past, these routes have been operated using Russian aircrafts such as the Illyushin and Antonov, but over time they have stopped operating and it has not become so possible for them to land. Airfreight demand now is geared towards smaller more efficient models such as the A200B4-203F," Al Bastaki points out. "As is clearly evident today, the UAE's economy is booming and there is a lot of demand for exports from various regions. We have carried out extensive research and believe this will only continue to grow.

MIDEX purchased the six Airbus models from an undisclosed American company going into bankruptcy. As a result, the airline inherited 54 mainly US pilots, which it believes will give operations a smoother start. MIDEX has also been busy signing agreements with Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) for ground handling operations at Al Ain, Gulf Aircraft Maintenance Company (GAMCO) for general maintenance.

Adding further solid foundations, the company has acquired a considerable spare parts inventory for its fleet of Airbus models. This includes a spare engine that is intended to ensure aircrafts will never have to remain grounded awaiting the arrival of fresh parts.

Print | Email | Discuss this article |

USER COMMENTS (0 COMMENTS)

POST A COMMENT

CLICK HERE TO POST A COMMENT

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Security Code *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.