Max Air

Not to be confused with pirbuterol.
Not to be confused with Mas Air.
For the Swedish airline, see Maxair (airline).
Max Air
IATA ICAO Call sign
VM[1] NGL[1] MAXAIR NIGERIA
Founded2008; 16 years ago (2008)
HubsMallam Aminu Kano International Airport
Fleet size10
Destinations12
HeadquartersKano, Nigeria
Key peopleAlhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal (Chairman)
Websitemaxair.com.ng

Max Air is a Nigerian airline operating domestic and international flights.[1][2] Established in 2008 by Alhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal, the company's head office is located in Kano State with its base at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.

History

Both Max Air Boeing 747-400s stored at Pinal Airpark in 2021.

Max Air is one of Nigeria's airlines, operating a domestic, regional and international flight network. The airline was established in 2006 as Mangal Airlines and rebranded Max Air in 2008[3] operating its first commercial flight to King Abdulaziz International Airport from Kano. The airline began its operations with two Boeing 747-400 aircraft for its Umrah and Hajj operation services.[citation needed]

In June 2018, Max Air began domestic operations to Abuja and Lagos from the airline's main hub, Kano.[4] On November 1, 2018, Max Air announced two new routes to its domestic operations which include Port Harcourt and Yola as part of its expansion drive. On November 5, Maiduguri route was launched by the airline, making it the 6th domestic destination to its operational routes.[citation needed]

On July 11, 2019, Max Air became the first Nigerian airline to have an in-flight magazine on its domestic routes.[5]

In 2023, an audit exposed severe safety violations by Max Airline, leading to a Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) suspension. Over 28 critical safety issues were identified within the airline's fleet, including altered records submission and neglect of necessary replacements. Discrepancies in landing gear airworthiness and maintenance personnel certification were evident.The audit highlighted deficient safety directives management and unauthorized personnel performing crucial tasks.[6][7]

Destinations

As of August 2019, Max Air is operating in seven domestic and 2 international scheduled destinations in states across Nigeria and the Middle East:[citation needed]

Hub
Future
Terminated route
Suspended route
City Country IATA ICAO Airport Refs
Abuja  Nigeria ABV DNAA Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport
Bauchi  Nigeria BCU DNBC Bauchi State Airport
Benin City  Nigeria BNI DNBE Benin Airport
Jeddah  Saudi Arabia JED OEJN King Abdulaziz International Airport
Kano  Nigeria KAN DNKN Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport
Katsina  Nigeria DKA DNKT Umaru Musa Yar'adua Airport
Lagos  Nigeria LOS DNMM Murtala Muhammed International Airport
Madinah  Saudi Arabia MED OEMA Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport
Maiduguri  Nigeria MIU DNMA Maiduguri International
Owerri  Nigeria QOW DNIM Sam Mbakwe Airport
Port Harcourt  Nigeria PHC DNPO Port Harcourt International Airport
Sokoto, Nigeria  Nigeria SKO DNSO Sadiq Abubakar III International Airport
Yola  Nigeria YOL DNYO Yola Airport

Fleet

MaxAir Boeing 737-300

As of June 2024, the Max Air fleet consists of the following aircraft:[8]

MaxAir Fleet
Aircraft Active Orders Notes
Boeing 737-300 5 — 4 stored[8]
Boeing 737-400 1 —
Boeing 747-400 2 —
Boeing 777-200 1 —
Total 9 —

Former fleet

Accidents and incidents

  • On May 7, 2023, a 737-400 experienced a landing incident at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja due to a tire burst. While concluding its Yola to Abuja journey, the aircraft, registered as 5N-MBD, safely evacuated all 143 passengers and an infant with no injuries, although the aircraft was destroyed. Swift response from emergency services ensured passenger safety and comfort, prompting subsequent flight cancellations at the Abuja airport. Investigations into the tire burst's cause were initiated by the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).[9][10]

References

  1. ^ a b c ch-aviation.com - Max Air (Nigeria) retrieved 8 February 2017
  2. ^ "Max Air joins Nigerian domestic market - NTA.ng - Breaking News, Nigeria, Africa, Worldwide". NTA.ng. 2018-06-28. Archived from the original on 2019-08-11. Retrieved 2019-08-11.
  3. ^ "Mangal Airlines". Airline History. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Max Air set to begin domestic flight operations - Punch Newspapers". Punch Newspapers. 2018-06-27. Retrieved 2019-08-11.
  5. ^ "In-flight Magazine - In-flight Media and Technologies". Retrieved 2019-08-25.
  6. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Audit Report Reveals Max Air Presented Altered Records, Serviced Aircrafts [sic] With Unauthorized Engineers". Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Max Air: Reps to probe alleged use of contaminated fuel in aviation industry". Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  8. ^ a b "planespotters.net - Max Air Fleet Details and History". Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Max Air Landing Incident At Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja Airport On 7th May 2023". Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Over 143 Passengers Escape Death as Max Air Crash-Lands in Abuja". Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  • Media related to Max Air at Wikimedia Commons