ASTAR/DHL confused

[flyc46]

Hi,
Was wondering if anyone can set me straight about ASTAR Air Cargo? Who are they? How long have they been around? Did they buy out DHL? Does the aviation branch of DHL still exist? What's the relationship with Airborne Express and DHL? Anyone here work for ASTAR? Lots of questions. Thanks.

 

[AV8OR]

Hi,
Was wondering if anyone can set me straight about ASTAR Air Cargo? Who are they? How long have they been around? Did they buy out DHL? Does the aviation branch of DHL still exist? What's the relationship with Airborne Express and DHL? Anyone here work for ASTAR? Lots of questions. Thanks.

Who are they? The airline formerly known as DHL Airways

How long have they been around? I don't know, 30 years maybe as DHL Airways, 2 years as AStar.

Did they buy out DHL? No, DHL sold it's remaining shares of DHL Airways to a group of investors who changed the name. Same certificate. Same planes, crews, same gig.

Does the aviation branch of DHL still exist? Only under a contract basis that now includes ABX as well.

What's the relationship with Airborne Express and DHL? AStar and ABX Air (formerly Airborne) are now ACMI airlines that compete for DHL's biz. ABX also provides ground services to DHL. Separate companies, pilot groups, fleets, routes. Same customer and soon to be hub.

Anyone here work for ASTAR? yes, several

 

[V2plus25]

Someone else can probably answer it alot better than I, but here goes.

ASTAR operates the yellow planes (and older colors) with DHL on the side. Their main sort hub is ILN. They were just hiring for the side saddle on the 72 not too long ago. They've got 727 (and Airbuses?).

ABEX does all the flying for the Airborne Express system with their main hub being CVG and they've got 767, DC-9s and DC-8s (as far as I know). They have Airbone Express on the side of the aircraft.

 

[Rhoid]

Someone else can probably answer it alot better than I, but here goes.

ASTAR operates the yellow planes (and older colors) with DHL on the side. Their main sort hub is ILN. They were just hiring for the side saddle on the 72 not too long ago. They've got 727 (and Airbuses?).

ABEX does all the flying for the Airborne Express system with their main hub being CVG and they've got 767, DC-9s and DC-8s (as far as I know). They have Airbone Express on the side of the aircraft.

Boy did you screw that up!

 

[UM#1]

New hire class at Astar starting the 29th, 727 SO and DC8 SO. Good company, good pay, good people...

 

[bobs98tlr]

Boy did you screw that up!

Then why dont you help him sort that out alittle bit?

ASTAR operates the yellow planes, their base is in CVG. Some planes are still in the old DHL colors. They have 727, 757, DC-8's, A300's.

ABX Air (airborne express) Has their base in ILN (they own the airport). They fly DC-9's, DC-8's, 767-200's.

 

[ABXbooger]

Honestly color of the planes mean nothing. ABX= DC-9, DC-8 with skinny engines, 767. Some of each type is painted yellow

 

[Airbus300]

Astar does not own 757's. That would be one of the 3 or so European outfits that moves DHL freight. Only 727's, DC-8's, and old Airbus 300's (all 3 man crew airplanes).

 

[goastar]

correction

"(they own the airport)"

DHL owns the airport, it was part of the deal. Soon both ACMI's will be in ILN (Oct I think).

 

[bobs98tlr]

Guess my info was old news.....next time ill STFU...lol

 

[flyc46]

Thanks for the info. It's all clear as mud now Just kidding, I think I understand now. Thanks.

 

[LarryinTN]

It really isn't that confusing.

ABX Air:
Domiciles ILN, MIA
Aircraft 73 DC9s, ~18 DC8-61/63, ~28 767-200PC/SF

All fleets have some yellow DHL airplanes, and some gray "Airborne Express" airplanes. The B767 and DC9 fleets each have at least one white "ABX Air" airplane.

Astar:
Domicile CVG Moving to ILN at some point, probably this Fall.
Aircraft 727, DC8-70s (71? 73?), A300

Some airplanes are yellow DHL and some are the old maroon DHL paint schemes.

So... DC9s, 767s and DC8s with the small diameter engine, regardless of color, are ABX. 727s, A300s, and DC8s with the high-bypass engines are Astar, regardless of color.

DHL sold their interest in DHL Airways and it was renamed Astar. DHL bought Airborne Express and simultaneously spun off the airline as ABX Air. Both actions were because of the limits of forgeign ownership of US airlines and the citizenship challenges from UPS and FedEx. Both airlines are now indapendant operators with ACMI agreements to fly freight for DHL.

 

[flyc46]

Lj-abx

That explanation makes better sense, thanks. I am assuming you fly for ABX? Ever make any of those runs up to Anchorage, AK? That's one long trip in a DC-9. Is there any hiring at ABX?

 

[LarryinTN]

I used to fly ANC quite a bit but that was before they changed it to a PDX-ANC-PDX shuttle. When I flew it the trip was ILN-MSP-FSD-YEG-ANC-BIL-ILN with a 24 hour layover in FSD and a 26 hours layover in ANC. They also had a 4-day weekend in FSD once per week and two 4-day ANC weekends per week. It was a good trip.

No hiring. I think that all of the furloughees who want to come back are back. Maybe there are a few still out but I heard someone say that none of them are coming back.

Right now we're understaffed in several seats with lots of junion manning but nobody knows what's going to happen once the hubs are combined into ILN. At that point there will be a bit of overlapped that can be eliminated so unless there is additional growth at that point they probably aren't going to hire now. Of course they can't even seem to get a fleet plan from DHL for next month that they are able to stick to so they certainly don't know what's going to happen this Fall. There's also the new west coast hub flying that we believe will involved up to 8 or 9 DC9s so who knows how that will play out?