DHL Air UK

DHL Air
Boeing 777F
IATA ICAO Call sign
D0 DHK WORLD EXPRESS
Founded11 October 1982 (as Elan Air)
Commenced operations
April 1983
AOC #CAA2176
Hubs
Fleet size20
Parent companyDHL
HeadquartersHounslow, London, United Kingdom
Employees422 (2022)
Websitedhl.com

DHL Air (UK) Limited is a British cargo airline based in Orbital Park, Hounslow, London. It is wholly owned by Deutsche Post and provides services on the group's DHL-branded parcel and express network in Europe. Its main base is East Midlands Airport. It forms a part of the greater DHL Aviation division.

History

The company was formed as Elan Air Freight on 11 October 1982 as a joint venture between Air Bridge Carriers and DHL International. It commenced operations in April 1983. Elan Air operated night freight charters using the Armstrong Whitworth Argosy and Handley Page Dart Herald from Southern Ireland and Netherlands. The first green/ doc and red/ wpx bags were customs cleared by Import Agent John Yardley in the Elan Airside Warehouse from 1988-1990. The airline then acquired a Merchantman freighter version of the Vickers Vanguard and later the airline's name changed to DHL Air on 16 May 1989.[citation needed]

DHL Air has held a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A air operator certificate since 30 November 2001 to transport passengers, cargo, and mail on aircraft with a capacity of 20 or more seats. After receiving the license, flight operations began in December 2001.[citation needed] The airline has 422 employees as of April 2022. Its main office is located at EMA Cargo West in the main DHL building at East Midlands Airport.

Fleet

A DHL Air UK Boeing 757-200SF

Current

As of August 2025, DHL Air UK operates the following aircraft:

DHL Air fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Notes
Boeing 757-200SF 5 —
Boeing 767-300ER/BCF 5 —
Boeing 767-300F 3 —
Boeing 777F 7 —
Total 20 —

Former

A former Elan Air Vickers Vanguard at Manchester Airport in 1987

The airline formerly operated the following aircraft:

Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Remarks
Armstrong Whitworth AW.660 Argosy 2 1984 1987 Operated by Air Bridge Carriers
Boeing 757-200PCF 20 2016 2022
Boeing 757-200PF 1 2016 2022 Transferred to DHL Air Austria
Boeing 767-300ER(BDSF) 1
Boeing 767-300F 1
Handley Page Dart Herald 1 1986 1988 Operated by British United Air Ferries
Vickers Vanguard 1 1987 1995 Operated by Air Bridge Carriers

Accidents and incidents

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "DHL Express UK Gender Pay Gap Report 2022" (PDF). 4 May 2022. p. 4.
  2. ↑ "DHL Air (UK) Limited overview - Find and update company information - Gov.uk". Companies House. 11 October 1982. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  3. ↑ "DHL Air (UK) Limited v The Commissioners for His Majesty's Revenue and Customs [2025] UKUT 00176 (TCC)". Gov.uk. 9 June 2025. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  4. ↑ "Online Shipping Archived 11 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine." DHL Air UK. Retrieved on 23 April 2014. "DHL International (UK) Limited Registered Office: Orbital Park, 178-188 Great South West Road, Hounslow, Middlesex TW4 6JS"
  5. ↑ "Beteiligungsliste/Participation list". Jahresabschluss (HGB)/Annual Financial Statements (HGB). Deutsche Post AG. Archived from the original on 30 November 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
  6. ↑ Companies House record for English Company #01671114 DHL Air Limited formerly Elan Air Limited
  7. ↑ Operating Licence Archived 11 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ "Global Airline Guide 2025 - DHL Air UK". Airliner World. September 2025. p. 78.
  9. ↑ Wickstead, M.J. (2014). Airlines of the British Isles since 1919. Staplefield (West Sussex - U.K.): Air Britain (Historians) Ltd. p. 200. ISBN 978-0-85130-456-4.
  10. 1 2 "Global Airline Guide 2016 (Part Two)". Airliner World (November 2016): 36.
  11. ↑ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 5 September 2009.