| Airline | DHL Air Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Iata | D0 |
| Icao | DHK |
| Callsign | WORLD EXPRESS |
| Founded | 11 October 1982 (as Elan Air) |
| Commenced | 8 November 1983 |
| Hubs | |
| Parent | DHL |
| Headquarters | Hounslow, United Kingdom |
| Num employees | 270 (2007)[1] |
| Website | www.dhl.com |
DHL Air UK, incorporated as DHL Air Ltd., is a British cargo airline based in Orbital Park, Hounslow, London Borough of Hounslow.[2] It is wholly owned by Deutsche Post[3] and provides services on the group's DHL-branded parcel and express network in Europe. Its main base is East Midlands Airport.[1] It forms a part of the greater DHL Aviation division.
History
The company was formed as Elan Air on 11 October 1982 and commenced operations on 8 November 1983.[4] Elan Air operated night freight charters using the Armstrong Whitworth Argosy and Handley Page Dart Herald from Southern Ireland and Netherlands. The first green/ doc and red/ wpx bags were customs cleared by Import Agent John Yardley in the Elan Airside Warehouse from 1988-1990. The airline then acquired a Merchantman freighter version of the Vickers Vanguard and later the airline's name changed to DHL Air on 16 May 1989.[citation needed]
DHL Air has held a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A air operator certificate since 30 November 2001 to transport passengers, cargo, and mail on aircraft with a capacity of 20 or more seats.[5] After receiving the license, flight operations began in December 2001.[citation needed] The airline has 270 employees as of March 2007.[1] Its main office is located at EMA Cargo West in the main DHL building at East Midlands Airport.
Fleet
Current
As of August 2025, DHL Air UK operates the following aircraft:[6]
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 757-200SF | 5 | — | |
| Boeing 767-300ER/BCF | 5 | — | |
| Boeing 767-300F | 3 | — | |
| Boeing 777F | 7 | — | |
| Total | 20 | — |
Former
The airline formerly operated the following aircraft:[citation needed]
| Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armstrong Whitworth AW.660 Argosy | 2 | 1984 | 1987 | Operated by Air Bridge Carriers |
| Boeing 757-200PCF | 20 | 2016 | 2022 | |
| Boeing 757-200PF | 1 | 2016 | 2022 | Transferred to DHL Air Austria |
| Boeing 767-300ER(BDSF)[7] | 1 | |||
| Boeing 767-300F[7] | 1 | |||
| Handley Page Dart Herald | 1 | 1986 | 1988 | Operated by British United Air Ferries |
| Vickers Vanguard | 1 | 1987 | 1995 | Operated by Air Bridge Carriers |
Accidents and incidents
- On 13 February 2021, a Boeing 757-200PCF (registered G-DHKZ) returned to land at Leipzig/Halle Airport after its cargo door opened in-flight shortly after departure.[8]
See also
References
- ^ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-04-03. p. 73.
- ^ "Online Shipping Archived 11 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine." DHL Air UK. Retrieved on 23 April 2014. "DHL International (UK) Limited Registered Office: Orbital Park, 178-188 Great South West Road, Hounslow, Middlesex TW4 6JS"
- ^ "Beteiligungsliste/Participation list". Jahresabschluss (HGB)/Annual Financial Statements (HGB). Deutsche Post AG. Archived from the original on 30 November 2009. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
- ^ Companies House record for English Company #01671114 DHL Air Limited formerly Elan Air Limited
- ^ Operating Licence Archived 11 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Global Airline Guide 2025 - DHL Air UK". Airliner World. September 2025. p. 78.
- ^ "Global Airline Guide 2016 (Part Two)". Airliner World. ' (November 2016): 36.
- ^ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved September 5, 2009.