The ash cloud crisis in Europe in April cost DHL Express several million euros in additionalcosts but also demonstrated its successful crisis management planning and emergency operations,
according to senior managers.Following the widespread closure of European airspace on April 16, DHL Express quickly activatedits crisis management team and within eight hours had set up an alternative hub-to-hub roadtrucking network and launched emergency communications with staff and customers, Bryan Jamison,head of Network & Operations Europe, told international journalists at a briefing inLeipzig.
DHL Express “fully leveraged” its existing European road network, which normally operates 623daily linehauls, carrying nearly 130,000 shipments between major economic centres, he said. Ahub-to-hub trucking service went into operation, serving eight European bases and using Brussels asa major transit point.
The number of road movements soared more than 50% to between 800 and 970 movements a day betweenApril 19 and 23, and was also kept in place for several days after most flights resumed on April21. DHL contracted additional trucks from its existing suppliers to be able to operate the sharprise in services.
Asked about the cost of the crisis management, Charlie Dobbie, DHL Express Executive VicePresident Network Operations, said DHL Express had an overall net rise of “several million euros”in operating costs despite saving operational flight costs because of the additional trucking costsand other internal costs.
“The combination of the DHL Can Do attitude and a structured crisis and contingency managementprocess enabled DHL to respond to this unprecedented event faster and better than our competitors,”Jamison claimed. DHL had been praised by customers for its handling of the crisis, and had gainednew business as a result, he pointed out.
