DHL launches direct 747 flight from US to Australia

DHL Express has launched a new twice-weekly direct flight from its US hub to Australia, promising up to a day’s improvement in transit time to places like Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The route will see a Boeing 747-400 operated by Polar Air Cargo Worldwide providing 110 tons of capacity, as DHL projects a 20% increase in its volumes going from the US and Canada to Australia

The company said shipments picked up on Friday in the US and flown out from the hub in Cincinnati will be delivered by Monday in all of Australia’s major cities.

Time-definite delivery services will be available to metro areas including 9am, noon and end-of-day services with the twice-per-week connection.

DHL said today that Australia was one of the largest export markets for DHL Express out of the US.

Ian Clough, the DHL Express US chief executive, said: “The US-Australia flight targets a key trade lane for express shipments out of the US, helping our customers become even more competitive and reinforcing DHL’s leading position.”

DHL has been building up its presence in the Asia Pacific region considerably recently with anticipation of future growth.

The flight for the new route returns via Hong Kong, giving additional capacity for Asian customers shipping to the Americas.

Mike Parra, executive vice president and director of operations for DHL Express Americas, said: “With the addition of the new Australia flight to our recently launched around-the-world flight connecting Hong Kong to Los Angeles, Leipzig and back, our focus on providing leading service is clear.”