Boeing to Supply Six 767 Freighters to Re-fleet DHL U.S. Operations
 

Boeing to Supply Six 767 Freighters to Re-fleet DHL U.S. Operations
Thursday March 8, 8:11 am ET
SEATTLE, March 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA - News) and DHL agreed on an order for six 767-300ER (Extended Range) Freighters. DHL, wholly owned by Bonn, Germany-based Deutsche Post World Net, is a leading international express delivery and logistics company. The order is valued at $894 million at list prices. This order has previously been accounted for on Boeing's Orders & Deliveries Website.
The Boeing 767 Freighter has excellent fuel efficiency, operational flexibility and low noise levels. The airplane meets and exceeds international Chapter 3 noise requirements.
"Adding the wide-body 767 Freighter to our network allows us to grow our business considerably," said John Mullen, CEO DHL Express. "This acquisition will support the DHL Express strategy with particular emphasis on renewing and updating the network supporting operations that serve the U.S. market." DHL has successfully established a solid number 3 market position in the U.S. and is striving to expand its overall leadership in the global express business.
In its annual World Air Cargo Forecast, Boeing predicts a market demand over the next 20 years of 841 airplanes in the 767-size, medium wide-body category of which 244 will be new production freighters. Since the 767 Freighter's launch in 1993, seven customers have ordered a total of 83 airplanes.
"DHL's high-volume express operations require a freighter that has proven capabilities in terms of utilization and schedule reliability. The 767 Freighter has exactly those attributes," said Marlin Dailey, vice president Sales for Europe, Russia and Central Asia, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Boeing's complete line of freighter airplanes allows us to offer our customers the right product to match their needs."
Boeing offers its customers a complete line of production and conversion freighters ranging in size from the standard body of 18 tonnes (Boeing 737-700 Convertible) and under 45 tonnes (757 Freighter) to medium wide-bodies such as the 767 (40-75 tonnes) and large freighters over 75 tonnes such as the Boeing 777 and 747.

So does this mean DHL is starting a different one from Airborne?

DHL will most likely have ABX fly them... Highly doubtful they would goto Astar. With the backlog of building the 767F's lets hope DHL can stay in business long enough for the airplanes to actually be delivered.

Although if you look at the term used "re-fleet"... It could possibly mean replacement of the A300's that the leases are up on at Astar in 2008-2009

Congrats to Boeing and DHL, especicially DHL for getting some new builds. Randy Baessler from Boeing has called this the year of the 767, and I am begining to agree. The 767 has now thanks to UPS been pushed up to the 1,000 frame mark, and hopefully she keeps on going.

This is history in the making for DHL... DHL has never to this date been known to purchase a "new" airplane.

Since these aircraft are -300ER's, I don't expect to see them flying in the U.S. domestic system. DHL has made several recent statements that they hope to "expand overseas shipments to/from the United States." These aircraft will most likely be flying internationally to/from ILN, LAX/RIV and/or JFK.

It would make a lot of logistics sense for ABX to operate the aircraft, as far as I know they are the only DHL carrier/contractor operating the 767 right now. But that doesn't mean anything in the DHL world. EAT out of BRU is owned by DHL and they currently operate 757's. They could fly the international routes. I would think Transmile (Pacific) might be another candidate. ATI is not in the DHL system right now but their pilots have been hearing rumors of 767's and DHL contracts for a while. DHL doesn't have any qualms about signing up or buying a stake in a new carrier. They don't have any obligation to build up existing carriers and historically haven't done so.

Like MuseumDriver said, though, it's a different direction for DHL to buy new airplanes. Hopefully we'll see more new ideas and all the DHL carriers can prosper somehow.

FWIW, most likely if they are intended for int'l ops, they'd fly out of JFK. With max payload according to Boeing, they've just barely got the legs to get to Frankfurt. Lepzig will be operational soon. My money is on EAT or DHL UK.