Lufthansa/DHL extend joint venture
DHL and Lufthansa Cargo have announced a new joint venture which will see them collaborate on five new intercontinental routes. The tie up is an extension of the existing relationship which is already in existence, known as Aerologic GmbH, which focuses on time sensitive healthcare cargo.
The new operations will involve the sharing of capacity on routes which link DHL’s air hubs in Stansted, Cologne and Brussels with destinations in the USA, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific Rim. Although there is the potential to utilise the space for DHL Danzas Air & Ocean volumes, it is envisaged that the majority will be used by DHL Express.
Lufthansa Cargo has been careful to stress that although the carrier is happy to provide and share capacity with DHL, the relationship is limited scope. Lufthansa is unlikely to risk alienating its other forwarding clients through a more strategic partnership. For the same reason an acquisition by DHL would seem to be equally unlikely.
