DHL Express has released a roadmap for the future construction of the European aviation network. The move is another milestone in the company's "2025 Strategy" to prepare for the growing international limited-time delivery business of DHL Express. DHL Express plans to set up a cargo airline in Austria. It has submitted an application to the Austrian authorities and, subject to the approval, aims to have the company up and running in the second half of this year. The new company will operate services within Europe using a fleet of B757 aircraft transferred from DHL British Cargo Airways. DHL British Cargo Airways will become Intercontinental Airlines, further expanding its B767 freighter fleet and introducing new B777F freighters into its fleet. Through these adjustments, DHL Express will strengthen its aviation network platform to ensure flexibility and resilience in capacity to better support customers' growing demand for international express transportation.

"By expanding our airline network, we will not only be able to adapt to regulatory changes, but also be ready for further growth." Roy Hughes, Executive Vice President of Network Operations, DHL Express Europe, said, "In addition, the move enables us to ensure sufficient capacity to better meet the high demand for cross-border deliveries from our customers. These planned developments, along with the new intercontinental flights, make our European network more flexible and resilient, and better integrated into the global network."

Earlier this month, DHL reported its financial results for the first quarter of 2021. DHL Express hit a new record. Thanks to the booming global e-commerce, DHL Express International Limited Time Delivery (TDI) volume increased by more than 25% year on year. As the digitization process of B2B industry accelerates and commercial procurement moves online, the demand for international express delivery will further increase.

In response to this trend and to continue to provide customers with efficient cross-border transshipment times, DHL Express is relocating its main operating base at DHL UK Cargo Air in the East Midlands. In the future, the company will focus on operating intercontinental flights, increasing flights to and from the UK, the Americas and Asia, adding more B767 freighters and introducing new B777F freighters to expand the fleet. DHL British Cargo Airways plans to start operating its B777F cargo planes in early 2022.

"The UK has always been one of the great hubs for global trade. "There is a growing demand for limited-time deliveries internationally and the geographical importance of the UK is growing." Tom Mackle, managing director of DHL UK Cargo Airways, said: "The expansion of our intercontinental fleet with the use of our modern and efficient B777F freighter underlines our continued commitment to meeting our customers' changing needs, delivering consistent service excellence and reducing our carbon footprint."