DHL Aviation
DHL Aviation is a division of DHL Express, which is owned by Deutsche Post DHL. It is responsible for providing air transport capacity.
DHL was founded in the United States in 1969 by Adrian Dalsey, Larry Hillblom, and Robert Lynn (last name initials form DHL) to deliver documents between San Francisco and Honolulu. The company expanded its service throughout the world by the late 1970s. It was primarily interested in offshore and inter-continental deliveries, but the success of FedEx prompted their own intra-US expansion starting in 1983.
In 1998, Deutsche Post began to acquire shares in DHL. It reached controlling interest in 2001, and acquired all outstanding shares by December 2002. The company then absorbed DHL into its Express division, while expanding the use of the DHL brand to other Deutsche Post divisions, business units and subsidiaries. Today, DHL Express shares its DHL brand with business units such as DHL Global Forwarding and DHL Supply Chain.
DHL Aviation refers to several airlines owned, co-owned or chartered by DHL Express. In 2009, Deutsche Post World Net rebranded to Deutsche Post DHL (DPDHL). In the U.S., DHL Airways was renamed Astar Air Cargo which in turn operated air freight services as a cargo airline for DHL until 2012.
Deutsche Post DHL owns five main airlines, which provide services by region:European Air Transport Leipzig is responsible for the major part of the European network and for longhaul services to the Middle East and Africa. From its hub at the Leipzig/Halle Airport it operates a fleet of 11 Boeing 757 Freighters and 21 Airbus A300-600 Freighters.
DHL Air UK is based at East Midlands Airport, was purchased by DHL in 1989, and has since 2000 been operating a fleet of 22 Boeing 757-200SF freighters on intra-European services and a fleet of four new-built Boeing 767-300ERF Freighters, primarily on trans-atlantic routes.
DHL Aero Expreso is the subsidiary in Central and South America Hub in Tocumen, Panamá, operating a fleet of Boeing 727-200 and 757-200 Freighters in Central- and South America, as well as serving destinations in the Caribbean and Florida.
SNAS/DHL handles Middle East destinations from its headquarters and main regional hub at Bahrain International Airport, operating a fleet of Boeing 767-200 and 757-200 freighters. The fleet is deployed throughout the Middle East and in Africa.
Blue Dart Aviation, is based at Chennai International Airport, Chennai, India, with a fleet of 6 Boeing 757 Freighters. It provides services for the Indian network of DHL and regional charters.
Deutsche Post DHL also owns the following smaller airlines:
DHL de Guatemala, Guatemala City.
Aero Express Del Ecuador, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Deutsche Post DHL has stakes in the following airlines, some of which also operate under the DHL brand or livery:
AeroLogic, Schkeuditz (Leipzig), Germany (50%).
Air Hong Kong, Hong Kong (40%).
ABX Air, Inc. Wilmington, OH, USA (0%, Contract).
Polar Air Cargo, Purchase, NY, USA (49%).
Southern Air, Erlanger, KY, USA (0%, Contract).
Solenta Aviation, Johannesburg, South Africa (unknown).
Tasman Cargo Airlines, Sydney, Australia (49%).
