DHL Express plans to set up a new cargo airline in Austria, the company announced on May 25, 2021. 

The company said it was already in the process of filing applications with the Austrian authorities and the launch date of the new carrier depended on approval of those applications ‒ yet the company’s plans are to have it operational by the end of 2021. 

The new cargo carrier will operate intra-European flights using a fleet of Boeing 757 freighters which will be transferred from another DHL arm, DHL Air UK. 

DHL Air UK is under transformation, as the company plans to turn it into an intercontinental airline. DHL Air UK will increase flights between the UK, the Americas region, and Asia. The cargo airline’s fleet will be expanded by adding more 767Fs as well as introducing the Boeing 777F type, which will commence operations in early 2022. 

“By expanding our airline platform, we are not just adapting to changing regulations, but also preparing our European network for further growth”, explains Roy Hughes, EVP Network Operations Europe at DHL Express, is quoted in the company’s statement. 

“To meet the high demand of our customers for cross-border Express deliveries we take these measures to continue providing them with sufficient Express capacity,” Hughes added. “With the planned structure, we will achieve both, a flexible and even more resilient airline network in Europe and a better global integration by increasing our intercontinental flights.”