Air Transport

Lufthansa Cargo and express freight specialist DHL Express have sought permission from Germany’s competition regulator to establish a new joint venture cargo airline.

The two companies already have an express parcel JV, Aerologic, created in 2004. This is focused on intercontinental services between Europe and Asia.

German competition regulator Bundeskartellamt confirmed the application, saying “DHL and Lufthansa Cargo are together founding a new airline for freight flights.” But both companies decline to give any further details about their plans for the new irline.

A Lufthansa spokesman says: “We have been working together very successfully on a joint venture covering five intercontinental routes. We have announced that we want to extend this co-operation. We will communicate more details shortly.”

He declines to comment on possible timelines for a Bundeskartellamt decision in the JV. A DHL spokesman says: “Lufthansa Cargo and DHL have been working together for many years. It is known that our long-term plan is to intensify and expand this co-operation significantly. We will publish additional in the autumn.”

The German press has previously reported that Lufthansa Cargo and DHL would each take 50% of the new operation, which would start services in 2009 with a fleet of ten aircraft, either Boeing 747 or 777 freighters.

DHL is Deutsche Post World Net’s express and logistics business. Lufthansa also carries mail for Deutsche Post outside the Aerologic venture.