Ecuador's TAAE to add B737-800 freighter

Iceland’s Bluebird Nordic embarks on Slovakia AOC drive

As it looks to expand its operations in Europe while “growing its fleet to 25 aircraft in the next couple of years” - most recently taking delivery of its fifth B737-800(F) - Bluebird Nordic (BO, Reykjavik Keflavik) has announced plans to obtain an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) in Slovakia.

The cargo ACMI/charter specialist said in a statement that the decision to launch the additional certification drive “comes as a strategic move to enter new and prominent markets.”

Bluebird Nordic chief executive Audronė Keinytė explained that “Slovakia is ideally positioned in the middle of Europe, which offers great opportunities for wider geographical coverage. The new AOC in the country will aid in expanding our airline routes and destinations, and strengthen the airline’s name in the region.”

Keinytė told ch-aviation in an interview in February that Bluebird Nordic - which is owned by Lithuania-based capacity provider Avia Solutions Group and is planning a rebrand to BBN Airlines Nordic - was looking for other opportunities around the world to set up AOCs. It is working...

DHL to turn UK unit into long-haul arm, targets Austrian AOC

DHL Express has announced it will transform its European airline operations with the United Kingdom's DHL Air (D0, East Midlands) transitioning into a long-haul specialist with a fleet of B767-300F and B777-200F freighters, while all of its B757 freighters will be transferred to a new carrier named DHL Air (Austria) (Q7, Vienna).

The logistics firm said the Austrian start-up has already begun its certification drive and hopes to complete it in time to launch by year-end. The new company, which will be headquartered near Vienna airport, will not affect DHL's existing European network.

"Flight plans and operational network (hubs/gateways) will not be affected by this more legal and administrative change," a DHL spokesman confirmed to ch-aviation.

DHL Air Austria will take over all B757 freighters from DHL Air and run intra-European flights. According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, the British unit currently has eighteen B757-200(PCF)s and five B757-200(SF)s in its fleet.

Once the B757s are moved to the new unit, DHL Air will consolidate...

SmartLynx Airlines Malta to operate two A321Fs for DHL

DHL Express places 'significant' B757 P2F conversion order

DHL Air (D0, East Midlands) parent firm DHL Express has booked an unspecified, but significant, number of B757-200PCF conversions CargoFacts magazine has reported. The orders are with Boeing-licensed conversion specialist Precision Aircraft Solutions.

Aside from DHL Air, DHL Express covers its air freight requirements through several other carriers worldwide including AeroLogic (3S, Leipzig/Halle) and EAT Leipzig (QY, Leipzig/Halle) in Germany, DHL Aero Expreso (D5, Panamá City Tocumen International) in Panama, DHL International Aviation Middle East (ES, Bahrain International) in the Middle East, Blue Dart Aviation (BZ, Chennai) in India, DHL de Guatemala (L3, Guatemala City) in Guatemala, and Trans Am Aero Express del Ecuador (7T, Guayaquil) in Ecuador.