DHL Worldwide Express has committed to a $10 million infrastructure upgrade programme in the Middle East to support its expanding regional aircraft fleet, which has doubled in the past 18 months.
A doubling of the company's fleet of trucks will be part of the infrastructure upgrade programme, along with development of resources at its Bahrain hub and airport operations at Beirut and Amman.
In March 2002 the DHL fleet consisted of four Metroliners, two Convair 580s and a Boeing 757. Now, in addition to the Metroliners and Convairs, it includes one Airbus A300-600, three Antonov AN-12s, two A300 B4s and two Boeing 727s.
Paul Bishop, general manager DHL Air Operations Middle East, regrets he cannot announce any news on the company's discussions with Embraer and Saab regarding replacements for the Metroliners, but expects a decision to be made soon.
The increased fleet now serves new destinations in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, and has seen capacity grow over the 18 months from three million kilos to nine million kilos a month.
David Wild, general manager of DHL UAE, says the company has resumed services to Baghdad following the November incident when an A300B4 freighter bound for Bahrain was forced to make a flapless and slatless high-speed emergency landing at Baghdad International airport after being struck by a missile
Source: Flight Daily News
