Tag: Air Transport

Deutsche Post-owned DHL, the express mail courier, said it is awaiting an ‘unambiguous’ decision from the Belgian state to end controversy over the possible construction of its European mail hub at Brussels’ Zaventum airport, according to a report in the Belgian daily Le Soir. Embattled Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt was in talks late last night to find a solution to a problem that pits local residents opposed to an increase in air traffic, against a government-backed programme to attract investment and jobs. At stake is between 5,400 to 9,600 jobs, according to Le Soir. DHL is also considering Vatry in France or Leipzig in Germany as possible locations for its new distribution centre, which will be capable of handling 3,000 tonnes of freight per night by 2012.

The Belgian government remains confident that Deutsche Post World Net AG’s express mail unit DHL will decide to set up its European mail centre in Brussels, and will announce the outcome of negotiations with local residents protesting the expansion of the national airport on Tuesday, a government spokesman said. The Belgian authorities have been at loggerheads with local residents, who are trying to block the expansion because of the extra noise and night flights created by an enlarged airport. Asked whether the government would succeed in securing DHL’s multi-million euro investment, the spokesman for Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, Didier Seews, said: ‘We are looking at both the noise pollution of night flights and the imperative of expansion to find a balance between ecology and economics.’ ‘It will work,’ he said, when asked whether a compromise could be found ahead of next Tuesday’s crunch announcement.