DHL Air UK
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| Founded | 11 October 1982 (as Elan Air) | ||||||
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Commenced operations | April 1983 | ||||||
| AOC # | CAA2176 | ||||||
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| Fleet size | 20 | ||||||
| Parent company | DHL | ||||||
| Headquarters | Hounslow, London, United Kingdom | ||||||
| Employees | 422 (2022)[1] | ||||||
| Website | dhl | ||||||
DHL Air (UK) Limited[2][3] is a British cargo airline based in Orbital Park, Hounslow, London.[4] It is wholly owned by Deutsche Post[5] 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 Freight on 11 October 1982 as a joint venture between Air Bridge Carriers and DHL International. It commenced operations in April 1983.[6] 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.
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.[7] After receiving the license, flight operations began in December 2001. The airline has 422 employees as of April 2022.[1] Its main office is located at EMA Cargo West in the main DHL building at East Midlands Airport.
Fleet
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Current
As of August 2025, DHL Air UK operates the following aircraft:[8]
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 757-200SF | 5 | — | |
| Boeing 767-300ER/BCF | 5 | — | |
| Boeing 767-300F | 3 | — | |
| Boeing 777F | 7 | — | |
| Total | 20 | — |
Former
_Vanguard(Merchantman)%252C_ELAN_Cargo_MAN_SEP87_(12945914014).jpg)
The airline formerly operated the following aircraft[9]:
| Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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)[10] | 1 | |||
| Boeing 767-300F[10] | 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.[11]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 "DHL Express UK Gender Pay Gap Report 2022" (PDF). 4 May 2022. p. 4.
- ↑ "DHL Air (UK) Limited overview - Find and update company information - Gov.uk". Companies House. 11 October 1982. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- ↑ "DHL Air (UK) Limited v The Commissioners for His Majesty's Revenue and Customs [2025] UKUT 00176 (TCC)". Gov.uk. 9 June 2025. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- ↑ "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 1 November 2008.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Wickstead, M.J. (2014). Airlines of the British Isles since 1919. Staplefield (West Sussex - U.K.): Air Britain (Historians) Ltd. p. 200. ISBN 978-0-85130-456-4.
- 1 2 "Global Airline Guide 2016 (Part Two)". Airliner World (November 2016): 36.
- ↑ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
External links
Media related to DHL Air UK at Wikimedia Commons- Official website of DHL