Three Generations of VIP Aviation Services in Brazil
(November 2025)
Little did Duarte Maher know that when he took a job carrying aircraft bags on a military base in the 1960s, he was lighting the spark that would grow into an elite aviation handling business for three generations of the Maher family.
Lourdes and Duarte Maher (parents), Danniel (son), Bruno (son), Caio (grandson)
Carrying bags for the military led to carrying bags for Argentinas Airlines, which eventually led to various Station Manager roles with British Caledonian Airways (later acquired by British Airways), requiring him to frequently move his young family all over the world — including Canada, Africa, the UK — along with working irregular hours, as anyone familiar with airport management can attest.
“When I was a kid, on the weekends I wanted to be with my Dad,” says Bruno Maher, Duarte’s eldest son. “Aviation was in his blood, so he’d reply, ‘Then son, you have to come with me to work.’ So at six years old, I began hanging around airports and interacting with travelers. I was too young for an official title, but I already regularly smelled of fuel.”
In the mid-80s, Duarte was Station Manager in Rio De Janeiro when British Airways tasked him with supervising corporate flights for clientele of the elite trip management company, Air Routing International (ARI). This is when the relationship with today’s FPI team began, as FPI’s founder, Tom Balousek, was also a co-founder of ARI.
Thanks to Duarte’s outstanding customer service for ARI’s clients over the years, it was at Tom’s encouragement that Duarte eventually pursued necessary handling permits in order to launch one of Brazil’s first private ground handling organizations. Servair was birthed, which expanded Duarte’s service reach to other airports in Brazil.
After selling Servair, Duarte and his wife, Lourdes, opened Maher’s Handling in 1991. When Bruno was 19, Duarte encouraged him to join the growing family firm, which was an easy fit thanks to growing up on airport grounds. As a kid, Bruno had been tasked by airport staff to help with a variety of youth-appropriate jobs, giving Bruno a keen insight into the inner workings of VIP aviation handling and airport management. Bruno’s brother, Danniel, also eventually joined the business as well.
Today, it is Bruno who carries his mother’s and late father’s legacies forward. Now he is joined by his own son, Caio Maher, who also cut his teeth on airport grounds.
Bruno Maher (left) training son Caio as a teen
With Lourdes now retired, the new father-son duo continue to operate Maher’s Handling in order to bring concierge services to worldwide VIP aviation operators coming into airports throughout Brazil.
“We wouldn’t be here today had it not been for Tom’s original encouragement to my parents to start companies that would focus on providing white glove services to the unique needs of private aviation travelers and operators,” states Bruno. “Brazil has always been, and continues to be a tricky place to manage General Aviation trips so that the customer experiences high-quality handling. We credit Tom for inspiring my parents to fill the gap.”
“From the very first time I met Duarte when he worked at British Caledonian Airways, I was extremely impressed with his personality, integrity and passion for quality service,” states Tom Balousek. “It continued throughout the years as he expanded his reach by training and including his family into a successful business. We sadly lost him several years ago yet we will never forget him and his positive spirit.”
Maher’s team with ARI’s trade show booth: (Top row) John Apodaca, Carlos Cardoso, Simone Rippel, Lourdes Maher, Duarte Maher, Fred Hernandez. (Bottom row) Danniel Maher, Bruno Maher, Celso Azuma
Today, Maher’s Handling continues to work hand-in-hand with FPI’s clients operating into Brazil, covering services such as:
- A wide variety of ground handling service management (parking, catering, refuel, etc.)
- Coordination with local authorities
- Aircraft and helicopter charters
- Executive vehicle rentals
With Brazil not being extremely FBO-saturated, Maher is skilled at being the expert coordinator for GA travelers either to Brazilian FBOs (such as Lider Aviação) or to regular airports with or without an official GA terminal set up. In situations such as the latter, having an experienced handler such as Maher can be the pivotal reason that passengers and crew experience either a smooth or cumbersome trip outcome.
“Admittedly, Brazilian GA infrastructure still has room to grow in order to bring VIP services to the level many clients are used to in other parts of the world,” states Bruno. “That’s why Maher’s Handling also performs training and consultation for local professionals who wish to elevate their GA operations as best as possible under Brazil’s current travel management environment.”
Having a portfolio of Maher-trained colleagues proved to be a critical asset when Maher’s capabilities were tested during the 2014 World Cup.
“We handled approximately 180 stops around Brazil, and I was personally on hand during the finals in Rio,” recalls Bruno. “I was managing four other handlers operating on practically four days straight without proper sleep, yet we powered through. With major operators simultaneously flying in 3-4 aircraft apiece, we managed to position nearly 400 aircraft in a tight parking format as far as the eye could see. These challenges, along with torrential rain and an unexpected military decision affecting overflow aircraft parking resulted in an incredibly crazy few days… but we are all stronger because of that experience.”
Strategic parking during World Cup 2014 (photos courtesy of José Saigueiro)
“Bruno’s team has built a strong comfort factor with GA operators of all sizes thanks to relationships that date back 20-30 years,” states Mike Stevens, FPI’s Director of Vendor Management. “When the aircraft door opens, the crew is relieved when they see a Maher representative personally there to greet them and assist with all their next ground maneuvers. This is why FPI has great confidence in partnering with Maher whenever our clients travel into the Brazilian region.”
“After a 34-year relationship between Maher Handling and FPI’s leadership, to say our firms go way back is an understatement,” states Matt Pahl, President and COO at FPI. “We share the same philosophy of treating our clients like family while adhering to a strict level of excellence with every client, regardless of aircraft size, trip complexity, or operations management.”
“I speak for all of the Mahers when I say that we were ecstatic to learn about Tom’s formation of Flight Pro International in 2020,” states Bruno. “We consider the FPI team as an extension of our own family, and my mother, Lourdes, said it best: ‘Tom is our angel.’ ”
Tom Balousek and Lourdes Maher
In Maher’s case, quality aviation service is literally a family trait, and that legacy translates into meaningful client experiences while in-country for crew and passengers alike.
“I love what I do; it’s a new adventure with each trip,” states Bruno. “We look forward to the moment we can contact the inbound crew and say, ‘Hey Captain, everything’s OK, we’re here and ready for whatever you need.’ “
Caio and Bruno Maher
— — —
To learn more about FPI, FPC, or regarding the Compliance, Operations, Regulatory, and other Special Services Network (SSN) teams, please contact our Operations staff here at Flight Pro International.
Our success is your success! Partner with us today.