Australian airline Qantas today launched its re-branded courier business following the recentsale of the DPEX network and amid restructuring at its express joint ventures Australian air
Express and Star Track Express.Qantas Freight has begun offering courier and baggage delivery services to Qantas and thirdparty customers under the new brand name Qantas Courier, the company announced.
Qantas said the re-named company had been established to reposition the Australian and NewZealand operations following the sale of its investment in DPEX Worldwide. The airline sold theDPEX businesses to Toll Group in June.
Qantas Courier employs around 150 people and has offices and retail counters convenientlylocated near international airports in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth andAuckland. The business also has a retail presence at Sydney and Brisbane international airportsthrough its Unaccompanied Baggage counters.
Stephen Cleary, Executive Manager Qantas Freight, explained: “Qantas Courier will complement thegroup’s existing domestic logistics ventures by utilising the network of the Qantas Group and thirdparty suppliers, including Australian air Express and Star Track Express, to offer courier andbaggage services. Central to our business model is the development of an online retail distributionchannel offering sophisticated book, pay and track functionality.”
Cleary said Qantas would remain the biggest customer of the business, and cost savings wereexpected through aggregation of the Group’s logistics and supply chain requirements under a singleentity. “We see great potential to improve the existing business for the benefit of Qantas andother customers by introducing a new business model, raising customer service standards andincreasing operational reliability,” he added.
“We have already made some changes to the business’ management team and taken steps to developits infrastructure, including investment in information technology and a new, fuel efficient fleetof delivery vehicles.”
The move comes amid a strategic review at Australian air Express and Star Track Express, the twoexpress operators jointly owned by Qantas and Australia Post. They announced earlier in August thatthey have started a two-month review of the operators, which specialise in air express and roadexpress respectively. Australian media have speculated that the two firms might be merged to reduceoperating costs and increase synergies.
