ABX DC-9's painted in DHL colors?

[GE CF34-3B1]

I've talked to several ABX Air and Astar pilots, and they say that the two pilot lists have not been merged.

But what's up with ABX Air painting their airplanes in DHL colors?

 

[LarryinTN]

You don't normally merged seniority lists of pilots working for two separate companies.

We have 74 DC9s. 10 of them are now in the DHL yellow scheme, 1 is in the white ABX Air scheme and the rest are the old gray Airborne Express Theme. There is also one yellow DC8 and the remaining 767s will be painted yellow as they arrive.

They've stopped painting airplanes until after the holidays are over. They will resume in January.

 

[GE CF34-3B1]

So I'm confused? They are going to eventually paint all ABX airplanes in the yellow DHL colors, yet it will still be ABX?

 

[LarryinTN]

They are keeping one DC9 and one 767 in the white ABX air colors. They will have at least one white DC8, maybe more depending on how many aircraft they have in the MIA charter operation.

DHL can not own a domestic airline due to foreign ownership restrictions so no DHL owned and operated airlines can fly domestic US routes. DHL has it's contractors paint the airplanes in DHL colors. That's pretty much how DHL does it all over the world.

 

[Abus300Pilot]

Just thought I'd chime in on this as I just arrived in San Juan yesterday. I parked next an ABX air 767 yesterday in the white colors. Pretty cool job.

Abus300Pilot

 

[neil armstrong]

how DHL does it all over the world!!


As far as i know they only do this it the states becuase of the foreign ownership problems!
Allmost all the aircraft in Europe operated by DHL are flow by DHL Air (UK) or EAT(BE) these company's are fully owned by DHL
In Asia they have a 50% stake in what ever company fly's for them again!
The other company's (Lufthansa Cargo ect) fly in there own colours

Neil

 

[abxaviator]

It's really not all that complicated! The color of the airplanes at ABX has NOTHING to do with ownership and EVERYTHING to do with brand recognition. You aren't seeing ABX Air ads on TV, they all are for DHL, sooooo... DHL would prefer the aircraft match the advertising so as not to confuse the customer.

 

[LarryinTN]

how DHL does it all over the world!!

They're not flown by multiple airlines instead of a single airline such as UPS or FedEx? i.e. DHL Air and EAT instead of one DHL airline.

 

[neil armstrong]

As far as i know UPS and Fed Ex use lots of other airlines to fly there stuff arround.

UPS uses Channex in Europe and White star ,Fed Ex uses Air contractors and i bet they use many more!

Neil

 

[LarryinTN]

It's completely different. UPS and FedEx have their primary airline and contract only where they can't do it themselves.

 

[GCD]

Well, I'll throw in some more confusion. Atlas contracts for FedEx in some countries, and FedEx uses DHL in some areas outside of the US.


My brother is a president of a large company. He says in the business world, the saying is, "Over night letter inside the US = FedEx. Boxes inside US = UPS. Letters or boxes outside the US = DHL, if you want them to get there on time."

This is not an advertisement for anyone's service, just what my brother says about the business world.

Yes, I have used the FedEx callsign on flights over the various former Soviet Union's Something-Or-Another-Stans and Dubai.

 

[neil armstrong]

Your right GCD ,thinking about it on some routes we do carry Fed Ex Bins on our A/C

Neil

 

[767pilot]

But what's up with ABX Air painting their airplanes in DHL colors?

Wait until you see the new flourscent yellow uniforms!

 

[767pilot]

It's completely different. UPS and FedEx have their primary airline and contract only where they can't do it themselves.

Mostly correct. Can't, or won't.

According to our contract, they can pick other carriers to do international, but not on the basis of cost. So far they have wrked well with us on that as the recognize the value of doing it all in house. By the same tocken, when our pilots let it be known that due to the intifadah, we did not want to lay over in Tel Aviv anymore, the company contracted that out in the name of safety. We did get something in return for that though too, whcih helped our pilots maintain the number of block hours we have. The contract allows something like 4000 management flown hours a year, but as long as this arrangement is in place over TEL, managers can not take advantage of that 4000 hours and can only fly by displacement.

 

[LarryinTN]

Wait until you see the new flourscent yellow uniforms!

It's actually kinda funny. The Chief Pilots assure us that there is no uniform change coming but nobody is buying replacement uniform pieces!

I certainly wouldn't mind a change to black or dark blue uniforms...

 

[abxaviator]

I'm kinda hoping for yellow w/red stripes or red w/yellow stripes! Maybe then we won't have to worry about the reflective belts!

 

[767pilot]

It's actually kinda funny. The Chief Pilots assure us that there is no uniform change coming but nobody is buying replacement uniform pieces!

I certainly wouldn't mind a change to black or dark blue uniforms...

If I were you, I would pay them for the change <G>
We're getting new uniforms as part of the new re-branding of UPS. Guess what color? Right, a different shade of brown. Oh well, they pay for it, so I'll wear it

 

[LarryinTN]

If I were you, I would pay them for the change

Gesh! Look who's talking!

 

[abxaviator]

My thoughts exactly, although the brown likely doesn't show dirt/grime as readily. BTW, our uniform issue is also paid by the company.

 

[UPSer]

My thoughts exactly, although the brown likely doesn't show dirt/grime as readily. BTW, our uniform issue is also paid by the company.

Yeah, but only the initial issue when you are a new hire, you pay for all subsequent uniform pieces.

 

[abxaviator]

Quite true, but general feeling is that BOTH are not particularly attractive, fortunately I look better in grey; can't pull-off browns.

 

[LarryinTN]

My mother just loves the gray uniform. Of course, she's 81 so her sense of style was developed some time ago...

 

[UPSer]

Maybe with the new mirror in the crew room you guys will start to make Volmer proud of how you look to your customers.

Did any of you see the picture of Boja's mug shot that someone taped to the mirror?

 

[LarryinTN]

That mug shot appears quite regularly at various places around the crew lounge.

 

[UPSer]

I'd love to get a picture of that online, it would make the perfect avatar!