DHL Express has acquired 13 Airbus A300-600 passenger aircraft, which will be converted to freighter configuration.
The new aircraft will be integrated into the European fleet by early 2013, and will replace the older A300B4-200 model, which is reaching retirement age.
The A300-600 provides 49 tons of payload – five tons more than the A300-B4-200 while at the same time having a 900km longer range and with up to 20 per cent less fuel consumption.
Bryan Jamison, managing director network operations Europe at DHL Express, said: “The A300-600 is a very attractive mid-range aircraft and the perfect fit for our European air network. By introducing this aircraft now we can ensure continuously high reliability and on-time performance for the years to come, while we are also able to take a big leap ahead towards our goal of reducing our carbon emissions by 30 per cent by 2020.”
DHL operates 250 dedicated aircraft connecting more than 500 airports.
