| Airline: | DHL Air Ltd. |
| Iata: | D0 |
| Icao: | DHK |
| Callsign: | WORLD EXPRESS |
| Commenced: | 8 November 1983 |
| Hubs: | |
| Fleet Size: | 22 |
| Parent: | DHL |
| Headquarters: | Hounslow, United Kingdom |
| Num Employees: | 270 (2007) |
| Website: | www.dhl.com |
DHL Air UK, incorporated as DHL Air Ltd., is a British cargo airline based in Orbital Park, Hounslow, London Borough of Hounslow.[1] It is wholly owned by Deutsche Post[2] and provides services on the group's DHL-branded parcel and express network in Europe. Its main base is East Midlands Airport.[3] It forms a part of the greater DHL Aviation division.
The company was formed as Elan Air on 11 October 1982 and commenced operations on 8 November 1983.[4] Elan Air operated night freight charters for DHL using the Armstrong Whitworth Argosy and Handley Page Dart Herald. 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.
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.[5] After receiving the license, flight operations began in December 2001. The airline has 270 employees as of March 2007.[3] Its main office is located at EMA Cargo West in the main DHL building at East Midlands Airport.
The DHL Air fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of October 2023):[6]
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 757-200SF | 5 | - | ||
| Boeing 767-300ER/BCF | 3 | - | ||
| Boeing 767-300ER/BDSF | 1 | - | ||
| Boeing 767-300F | 4 | - | ||
| Boeing 777F | 7 | - | ||
| Total | 22 | - |
The airline formerly operated the following aircraft:
| Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Handley Page Dart Herald | 1 | 1986 | 1988 | Operated by British United Air Ferries |
| Vickers Vanguard | 1 | 1987 | 1995 | Operated by Air Bridge Carriers |