Company overview
DHL Air UK began as Elan Air, founded in October 1982, started cargo operations in 1983 and was renamed DHL Air in August 1989 under DHL. The head office is at East Midlands Airport (EMA/EGNX); the IATA code is D0, the ICAO code DHK and the radio call sign World Express. The company belongs to DHL Aviation, its ultimate parent is Deutsche Post DHL Group, and its website is dhl.com.
From July 2000 the company flew Boeing 757 narrowbody freighters on intra-European routes and Boeing 767 freighters across the Atlantic. In recent years the fleet has moved to widebodies, with the 757s progressively replaced by Boeing 767-300F and Boeing 777F aircraft. DHL Group ordered 28 Boeing 777F between 2018 and 2022, the last six delivered in 2025, completing the fleet modernisation.
For Chinese exporters, DHL Air UK is one of the carriers on the express cargo trunk from China to Europe. Chinese exports leave through Asia-Pacific airports such as Shanghai and Hong Kong, join the DHL Group Asia-Pacific freighter network, make a technical stop in the Middle East such as Bahrain and land in Europe for distribution to East Midlands and across the continent.
History and position in the group
The DHL brand was founded in 1969 by Dalsey, Hillblom and Lynn and created the international air express industry. DHL Air UK began as Elan Air, founded in the United Kingdom in October 1982, started cargo operations in 1983 and was renamed DHL Air and brought into DHL in August 1989. The head office is at East Midlands Airport, and the group's ground and sortation facilities are laid out around EMA.
From July 2000 the company flew Boeing 757 narrowbody freighters on intra-European routes and Boeing 767 freighters across the Atlantic. It then focused on intercontinental routes, adding services from the UK to the Americas and Asia and moving the fleet to widebodies. The company belongs to DHL Aviation and its ultimate parent is Deutsche Post DHL Group; it is the British cargo airline of the world's largest international express group, and its website is dhl.com.
China-UK trade at a glance
China is one of the UK's largest sources of imports in Asia, and Chinese exports to the UK are mainly consumer electronics, clothing, e-commerce parcels and industrial parts. Since Brexit the clearance process for European goods through UK airports has changed, and the DHL transit network between East Midlands and the European hubs at Leipzig and Liege is an important channel for distributing Chinese cargo in Europe.
Chinese exports to the UK can fly on the daily 767F from Shanghai to Brussels or a Middle Eastern hub and be distributed to the UK, or connect through the Hong Kong Asia-Pacific hub to European trunks. East Midlands EMA is a main UK express cargo hub, where DHL keeps investing in new aircraft and sortation facilities.
Sortation in three operating waves
DHL express cargo organises China to Europe traffic in three waves: pickup, trunk and delivery.
Wave onePickup wave · collection in China
Chinese exports are collected, screened and palletised at DHL facilities in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Zhengzhou and connect to Asia-Pacific freighter services. The Shenzhen super gateway is DHL's largest single investment in mainland China and handles collection for South China.
Wave twoTrunk wave · Asia-Pacific to Europe corridor
Cargo departs Shanghai or Hong Kong, makes technical stops such as Bangkok and Bahrain and lands at Leipzig, Liege and East Midlands EMA in Europe; the trunk is flown by Boeing 767-300F and Boeing 777F aircraft.
Wave threeDelivery wave · European distribution
On arrival at EMA, Leipzig or Liege, cargo is sorted through DHL European centres and distributed to destinations in the UK and across Europe, with last-mile delivery by the DHL express network.
China to Europe trunk schedule
The table shows the main DHL Group China services in the 2026 summer season, with departures and arrivals side by side.
| Leg | Aircraft type | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai PVG to Leipzig LEJ | 777F | Flights per week |
| Hong Kong HKG to Liege LGG | 777F | Flights per week |
| Shanghai PVG to Bangkok to Bahrain to Brussels | 767F | Daily service |
| Beijing to Hong Kong HKG | A300-600F | 6 flights per week |
| Hong Kong HKG to Bangkok | 737-400SF | 6 flights per week |
| Leg | Aircraft type | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Leipzig LEJ to Shanghai PVG | 777F | Flights per week |
| Liege LGG to Hong Kong HKG | 777F | Flights per week |
| Brussels to Bahrain to Bangkok to Shanghai | 767F | Daily service |
| East Midlands EMA to Asia-Pacific | 767F / 777F | Scheduled |
| Bahrain BAH to Leipzig | 777F | 6 flights per week |
Transit handover points
Chinese exports pass through three key handover points between departure and delivery in Europe.
The three trunk corridors
The map shows the three trunk corridors that carry Chinese exports to Europe on the DHL network.
The Shenzhen super gateway and the China network
DHL invested 170 million euros to expand the Shenzhen super gateway, its largest single investment in mainland China, handling collection and sortation for South China. The gateway works with the Hong Kong HKG Asia-Pacific hub, so South China exports are collected in Shenzhen and connect to trunk services in Hong Kong.
DHL Express covers several hundred cities in China and is one of the widest foreign express networks in the country. Zhengzhou, Shanghai and Beijing are DHL's main cargo airports in mainland China, handling collection for central, eastern and northern China. Chinese exports can use the nearest airport, cutting the domestic road leg.
Fleet and capacity upgrade
The DHL Air UK fleet is mainly widebody. UK Civil Aviation Authority data for 2025 shows 8 Boeing 767-300F and 7 Boeing 777F in service at the East Midlands base, all DHL Group capacity. The 28 Boeing 777F ordered between 2018 and 2022 were all delivered by 2025, completing the move to widebodies and improving fuel efficiency and payload.
The Boeing 777F is the main intercontinental type for DHL Group, with large payload and good fuel efficiency. The Boeing 767-300F flies regional and short to medium trunk services. The Boeing 757 narrowbodies operated since 2000 have progressively left the fleet, replaced by newer types on intra-European short sectors.
Peak season and capacity booking
The European retail peak runs from late in the third quarter through the fourth quarter, when cross-border e-commerce and seasonal consumer goods ship in volume and trunk space from Shanghai and Hong Kong is tight. Chinese exporters should lock trunk space 2 to 4 weeks ahead to avoid missing the peak; belly and freighter space tighten at the same time.
Beyond the retail peak, the European shopping and New Year season lifts import volumes. We advise regular clients to sign annual agreements before the peak to secure a base capacity allocation, with temporary increases covered by extra flights and charters.
Cargo types from China to Europe
Cross-border e-commerce cargo
Cross-border e-commerce parcels and high-value urgent shipments are the core DHL express cargo products and suit the daily 767F departure from Shanghai, with fast transit.
Consumer electronics and accessories
Consumer electronics, communications equipment and parts are collected at the Hong Kong Asia-Pacific hub and connect to European trunks; they carry high value and are time-sensitive.
Pharmaceuticals and temperature-controlled cargo
Pharmaceuticals and temperature-controlled cargo suit the DHL temperature-controlled network, transiting Bahrain to Europe with cold chain monitoring throughout.
Booking from China to Europe
Options from China to Europe
Daily 767F from Shanghai via Bangkok and Bahrain to Brussels; weekly 777F services Shanghai to Leipzig and Hong Kong to Liege; collection at the Shenzhen super gateway connecting to the Hong Kong hub.
Step 1 · collection and palletising
Chinese shippers tender cargo at Shanghai, Shenzhen or Zhengzhou; we handle collection, export clearance and space booking on the DHL services. South China cargo connects through the Shenzhen super gateway to the Hong Kong HKG Asia-Pacific hub.
Step 2 · trunk flight and transit
Cargo departs Shanghai or Hong Kong, makes technical stops such as Bangkok and Bahrain and lands at Leipzig, Liege or East Midlands EMA in Europe, on 767F and 777F aircraft.
Step 3 · European distribution and delivery
On arrival at the European hub cargo is sorted through DHL centres and distributed to destinations in the UK and across Europe, with last-mile delivery by the DHL express network; the air waybill can be tracked throughout.
What we do on the China to Europe lane
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight) has long handled air cargo from China to Europe. For the DHL air network we provide the following.
Consolidation at China ports and export customs declaration
Chinese shippers can tender at Shanghai, Shenzhen, Zhengzhou and nearby airports; we handle collection, export clearance and space booking on DHL trunk services. Cross-border e-commerce and high-value urgent cargo are matched first to the daily 767F departure from Shanghai.
Trunk space and transit tracking
We track the air waybill from departure in China. After the trunk transits Bangkok and Bahrain and reaches Europe, cargo connects to DHL European sortation and distribution to the final destination. If a carrier changes its schedule we notify the shipper promptly and adjust the plan.
Peak season space and contract clients
The European retail peak falls in the fourth quarter, when cross-border e-commerce volumes concentrate and trunk space from Shanghai and Hong Kong is tight. Regular clients can sign annual agreements to secure base capacity for the peak, with temporary increases covered by extra flights.
European distribution and last-mile delivery
Cargo departs Shanghai or Hong Kong, transits Bangkok and Bahrain and lands at Leipzig, Liege or East Midlands EMA. In Europe it is sorted through DHL European centres and distributed to the UK and across the continent, with last-mile delivery by the DHL express network. European transit usually takes one to two days, depending on onward connections.
For Chinese cross-border e-commerce sellers the DHL network is an efficient channel into the European market. We provide collection at the Chinese airport, export clearance, the trunk flight, transit and European last-mile delivery, so shippers do not have to engage a local European agent themselves.
UK import compliance and packaging
Since Brexit the UK applies its own standards and certification to imports, and some electronic and industrial products need UK conformity certification. Chinese exporters should confirm before dispatch that the commodity and declared value agree, so the shipment is not held for document discrepancies. Products containing lithium batteries must be packed and declared under the IATA dangerous goods rules.
Middle Eastern technical stops have strict security requirements for dangerous goods and temperature-controlled cargo. We inspect packaging at the export airport and help shippers prepare it to UK and transit point requirements. Transit cargo must have master air waybill details consistent with the final destination to avoid amendment delays in Europe.
How the three corridors divide the work
The Asia-Pacific corridor links Chinese airports to European hubs and is the main trunk from China to the UK and Europe. The Middle East corridor transits Bahrain and covers the Middle East and Europe. The trans-Atlantic corridor links Europe and North America, so Chinese cargo can be distributed to North America through a European hub.
For Chinese exporters the Asia-Pacific corridor is the most direct route to Europe, the Middle East corridor adds the Gulf market and the trans-Atlantic corridor offers distribution to North America through Europe. We plan the best corridor for the final destination.
DHL express and DHL air freight compared
DHL Express runs international express while DHL Global Forwarding runs consolidated and block-space air freight, and both share the DHL Aviation freighter fleet. DHL Air UK, as a DHL Aviation airline, provides the cargo capacity, and clients in both businesses can book.
Cross-border e-commerce and high-value urgent cargo suit DHL Express, with fast transit and direct delivery; bulk industrial cargo and large loads suit DHL Global Forwarding block space. We combine the two products according to transit time and cost requirement.
The opportunity in China-Europe logistics
Trade between China and Europe keeps growing, and cross-border e-commerce and high-value manufacturing exports drive air cargo demand. DHL Group has kept investing in its China network in 2026, expanding the Shenzhen super gateway, opening the daily Shanghai service and adding 777F frequency on Shanghai to Leipzig and Hong Kong to Liege, which raises air capacity from China to Europe markedly.
Chinese exporters can enter the DHL Asia-Pacific network through four airports, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Zhengzhou, and reach the UK and Europe through Bahrain. We have long worked this lane and serve shippers of different sizes, from one-off quotations to whole-pallet space. Schedules change with the season and the carrier's confirmation on the booking day governs.
Our end-to-end service and booking enquiries
As a local Chinese forwarder we do not operate DHL flights; we design the end-to-end routing and coordinate capacity for Chinese shippers: collection and departure at the Chinese airport, the trunk via Bangkok and Bahrain to Europe, then DHL sortation, distribution and last-mile delivery. Shippers book the whole chain with us in one step.
For exporters supplying the UK and Europe regularly we can sign annual cargo agreements that secure base capacity in peak season. If DHL changes a schedule or a European holiday intervenes, we notify the shipper promptly and adjust the plan so that cargo still reaches its final destination on schedule.
DHL Air UK works from its EMA base and brings Chinese airport cargo into the European trunk network through Hong Kong and Bahrain. Chinese exporters can choose between the daily 767F service and the weekly 777F services according to transit time and cost, and we coordinate booking and transit throughout.
How the European hubs divide the work
East Midlands EMA lies in the English Midlands and is the DHL Air UK operating base, serving the UK and Irish markets. Leipzig LEJ in central Germany is the DHL continental European distribution hub. Liege LGG in Belgium is DHL's other main European express hub. The three have clear roles, so Chinese cargo can pick its European entry point by final consignee.
If the consignee is in the UK, cargo goes to EMA first; if in Germany or central Europe, to Leipzig; if in western or southern Europe, to Liege. From Europe it is sorted and distributed through the DHL network, and air waybill status can be checked online so the shipper can follow the cargo in real time.
We follow DHL Group schedules and fleet changes closely and can give Chinese exporters steady capacity and prompt notice of routing changes.
DHL Air UK works from its EMA base and brings Chinese airport cargo into the European trunk network through Hong Kong and Bahrain; it is an important channel for express cargo from China to the UK and Europe, and Chinese exporters can book through us for steady space and prompt routing notice.
DHL Air UK is based at East Midlands EMA; Chinese cargo departs Shanghai or Hong Kong, transits Bahrain to Europe and is distributed to the UK and across the continent. We have long worked this lane and can provide end-to-end booking and tracking for Chinese exporters.
DHL cargo products divide into Express and Global Forwarding block space: urgent shipments go by express and bulk cargo by block space. We match space to the transit time required, and regular clients sign annual agreements to hold peak season capacity.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What is DHL Air UK?
DHL Air UK is the British cargo airline of DHL Aviation, founded in 1982 and based at East Midlands Airport, with IATA code D0 and ICAO code DHK; it belongs to Deutsche Post DHL Group.
Does DHL Air UK fly to China?
DHL Group uses Hong Kong HKG as its Asia-Pacific hub, with Shanghai, Shenzhen and Zhengzhou as China airports. Chinese cargo departs through Hong Kong and Shanghai and transits Bahrain to EMA in Europe.
Is there a DHL cargo service from Shanghai to Europe?
Yes. A daily 767F service Shanghai to Bangkok to Bahrain to Brussels started in August 2026, with about 50 tonnes per aircraft, plus a weekly 777F service Shanghai to Leipzig.
What aircraft does DHL Air UK fly?
Boeing 767-300F and Boeing 777F. All 28 Group 777F were delivered by 2025, and the 757 narrowbodies are leaving the fleet.
Does DHL have cargo facilities in Shenzhen?
Yes. DHL invested 170 million euros to expand the Shenzhen super gateway, its largest single investment in mainland China, handling collection for South China.
Which Chinese exports suit DHL?
Cross-border e-commerce parcels, consumer electronics, high-value urgent shipments and temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals. Urgent freight moves on the daily 767F, bulk cargo on the weekly 777F.
What kind of airport is East Midlands EMA?
EMA sits in the English Midlands and is the operating base of DHL Air UK, one of the country's main express cargo hubs. DHL keeps investing in new aircraft and sorting facilities there, which raises handling capacity for exports from China.
What is DHL's official website?
The group site is dhl.com and the investor relations site is dpdhl.com, both plain-text domains. Chinese shippers can also obtain capacity and rate information from us. We act as a local China booking agent for the DHL group cargo network, have long handled China to Europe traffic, and serve shippers of different volumes at matching service levels.
Disclaimer
Information published here is for reference only and does not constitute a transport contract or commercial commitment. DHL Air UK routes, schedules, fleet configuration and cargo network may change with operating decisions and season without notice. Flight times are local; actual schedules and rates are subject to confirmation by the carrier or the relevant authority on the day of booking.
Contact details
For details of DHL air cargo service from China to Europe and the UK, or for help with a booking, contact Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight) at goodhope86.com. Call any time for end-to-end booking options and rates on China to Europe and China to UK lanes. We provide Chinese exporters with stable, reliable international freight forwarding.
Trademark notice
DHL, DHL Aviation and related marks are registered trademarks or trademarks of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The names are used here for identification and explanation only and do not imply any agency, partnership or affiliation between the publisher and DHL. Other airline names and trademarks mentioned belong to their respective owners.