Deutsche Post subsidiary DHL Express invests 70 million euros in a sorting and distribution facility at Munich airport, comprising a gross floor area of more than 8,000 m². The airport managers applaud and speak of a “very welcome and encouraging decision“ by the integrator in critical times.
TAPA certified facility
According to DHL Express, the new building will have direct airside access and two so-called PUD fingers for pick-up and delivery, where up to 65 delivery vehicles can be dispatched
simultaneously. This leads to a time advantage, particularly for clients located in the southern part of Germany.
Furthermore, the new station will meet all safety requirements of the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA), and will be certified TAPA Class A for the highest security level in air
transportation.
Service Center is part of the project
With the upcoming sorting and distribution center, the integrator increases the size of its current facility at Munich Airport six-fold. Due to the existing building’s limitations, the throughput
and sorting capacity has been reached. “The new location is already planned with growth potential and also includes a service center, which is not included in the current location,“ DHL
Express speaker, Tim Rehkopf, explains.
CFG: How often does DHL currently fly to MUC - daily or weekdays, and are more flights planned?
Tim Rehkopf (TR): Currently there is one flight in the morning to MUC and one flight in the evening from MUC. In peak times there are occasionally two daily flights. The planning for the new
location includes two to three weekday flights to/from Munich.
CFG: Which type of freighters do you deploy on the MUC route?
TR: We operate an Airbus A300F, and partly also service MUC with a Boeing 757. The current route is Leipzig-Munich-Leipzig; at peak times we also fly to some of our other hubs in Europe (GB,
BE, ES).
CFG: Any additional routes to / from MUC standing on your future agenda?
TR: In addition to Leipzig, we intend to also connect to other European hubs once the new facility is online.
“Very positive signal“
DHL’s MUC plans also provide for a separate security gate for freight transport to the DHL freighters which can be parked in front of the future facility. This will enable fast and efficient
processes in both inbound and outbound operations, Munich’s Director Traffic Development Cargo, Markus Heinelt applauds. The manager adds to this that DHL’s investment decision “sends out
very positive signals” in a difficult phase caused by the pandemic leading to the near collapse of passenger traffic and a global shortage in freighter capacity.
Tentative return to normal
However, the passenger business is picking up again at last, albeit slowly. “Lufthansa in particular is growing its long-haul connections week after week,“ Mr. Heinelt states, offering
flights between Munich and Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Montreal, New Delhi, Tel Aviv, and Seoul with more to follow soon. Qatar Airways has already been offering 11 flights a week to
Doha for some time. Last week, Air Canada started MUC-YYZ flights and its U.S. peer, United, will follow suit, linking Munich with Chicago. The come-back of passenger flights gradually steps up
lower deck transport capacity and is seen by Munich Airport’s management as a tentative return to normal.
Heiner Siegmund
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