DHL sets rate hike
DHL Worldwide Express announced Monday that it will raise rates by 3.5 percent on Feb. 2 on most of its U.S. domestic and U.S. outbound services.
The increase is the same as the price increases announced by FedEx Corp. that took effect Monday and similar to those of Airborne Express and United Parcel Service. The Airborne and UPS increases also were implemented Monday. Airborne, for example, said its rates for its 10:30 AM, Express AM, Next Afternoon, and Two Day service are rising by an average of 3 percent. The increase for Airborne’s international express service will average 4 percent, while rates for its Ground and its at-home service will go up an average of 3.9 percent.
UPS said its next-day air prices will go up 3.2 percent, while its ground rates will rise 3.9 percent and its international air prices 2.9 percent. UPS spokesman Norman Black described the increases as a response to “ever-escalating costs.” The UPS fuel surcharge this month will remain at 1.25 percent, but that could go up in February because of recent increases in oil prices resulting from turmoil in Venezuela and uncertainty about the possibility of war with Iraq. The surcharge is based on an index of diesel fuel prices compiled by the U.S. Department of Energy. The February rate is expected to be announced later this week.
The DHL increases apply to the following services: international document express, worldwide priority express, import express, U.S.A. overnight and U.S.A. second day. There will be a five-percent increase for Deutsche Post Global Mail, which absorbed DHL’s Worldmail service last service. DHL is owned by Deutsche Post World Net of Germany.
