DHL Express and Southern Air Start Expansion of Boeing 737-400 Network Fleet

PLANTATION, Fla.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—DHL, the world’s leading international express provider, is adding five Boeing 737-400 aircraft to expand its service routes within the Americas as part of a multi-year service agreement with US cargo carrier Southern Air. The aircraft will provide delivery to routes in a fuel-efficient manner, in keeping with DHL’s Go Green commitment to environmental protection.

The five aircraft will be rolled out during the first half of 2014, expanding the fleet already in place along key growing trade routes in the Americas. “Right now we are planning to get the first aircraft in service in early April and the last one by August 1,” said Red Alexander, Vice President of Aviation for DHL Express Americas. “There will be two aircraft based in Venezuela and three aircraft in the U.S.”

Current planned routes include flights from Caracas (CCS), Venezuela, to Barbados (BGI) and Trinidad and Tobago (POS) in the Caribbean, as well as from Caracas to Bogota (BOG), Colombia, and Panama (PTY). In the United States, the new aircraft would add flights from the Cincinnati Hub (CVG) to several cities along the Northeast and Midwest, including Philadelphia (PHL), Hartford (BDL) and St. Louis (STL).

“Southern Air continually strives to provide its growing, blue-chip client base with reliable, efficient, flexible solutions that best suit their needs,” said Southern Air’s Chief Executive Officer, Daniel J. McHugh. “We highly value our collaboration with DHL and will continue to enhance our fleet and air cargo capabilities in order to offer DHL safe, reliable and fuel efficient air lift at competitive costs.”

For DHL Express, the expansion of its network through the introduction of these new aircraft is part of its ongoing commitment to expand its global capabilities and improve its customer service through a significant investment program into infrastructure, its employees and its brand. The continued investment in fuel-efficient aircraft also underscores DHL’s Corporate Social Responsibility commitment to environmental protection by improving our CO2 efficiency. DHL Express and Southern Air also recently announced a multiyear extension of their existing four-aircraft, around-the-world operation of the advanced, fuel-efficient Boeing 777 Freighter.