Dubai: DHL Express, an international logistics company, is still assessing the impact of the scheduled runway maintenance at Dubai International that will cut capacity at the airport for 80 days in three months’ time. The repair work will take place from May 1 to July 20.
Frank Ungerer, DHL Express Country Manager for the UAE, said its single daily flight will operate from the airport but is unsure about commercial operations as passengers airlines wait to commit to schedules.
DHL Express uses 150 commercial flights out of Dubai International each day.
FedEx has said it will split its operations between Dubai International and secondary airport Al Maktoum International during the runway repair period. Whereas some passenger airlines have said they will either be splitting or shifting operations to the alternative airport.
But flagship carrier, Emirates, has decided it will ground a number of aircraft and reduce frequencies on certain routes. Many commercial and logistic operators rely on Emirates’ global network for connecting passengers and cargo.
Ungerer said a DHL Express team is currently looking at the schedules of airlines and what aircraft they will be flying but said the company will be delivering the same service.
However, AeroLogic, a joint-venture with Lufthansa that is operated by DHL Express into Dubai, will be shifting to Sharjah International Airport for the 80-day period. It currently operates two daily flights out of Dubai International.
On a permanent move to Al Maktoum International, Ungerer said the company will wait until Emirates and the other airlines shift over before it makes a decision.
“It’s not only up to us. We need the commercial airlines so … at the moment we are very well placed here (Dubai International) because all the flights are here,” he said.
Sister company DHL Global Forwarding maintains a presence at Al Maktoum International through a joint venture.
