GLS Germany has moved the base for its four weekly cargo flights to the UK from Kassel-CaldenAirport to Paderborn Lippstadt Airport because of better operating conditions.
After years of taking off from Kassel-Calden, close to Kassel in central Germany, and flying toCoventry, West Midlands, GLS confirmed that it is now operating from Paderborn, in North-RhineWestphalia, and flying to Lydd Airport, also known as London Ashford Airport, in Kent. Paderborn isabout 100km north-west of Kassel.
According to Paderborn Airport, the move last November was motivated by its round-the-clockoperating hours, its modern infrastructure and its supply of technical equipment including x-raymechanisms which guarantee safe and professional handling of air freight.
The Germany – UK flights are operated four times a week through a partnership with theMunich-based air freight specialist BinAir which uses small planes with freight capacity for up to2,250kgs.
GLS CEO Rico Back told CEP-Research that the company only flies express parcels from Germany tothe UK due to shorter transit times while the regular linehaul traffic for deferred parcels istrucked via France and through the Channel Tunnel to the UK.
The Paderborn-Lydd route is the only flight that GLS is currently operating on its own fortransportation of express parcels. “The express parcels to other European destinations are handledvia the GLS Airport Office at Frankfurt Airport and loaded onto other scheduled commercialflights,” Back added.
With the launch of its small air express operation at Kassel Airport in 2006 linking Germany andthe UK, the company initially planned to extend it to more countries with the aim to offerdeliveries within 24 hours between major European regions. However, these plans were not put intooperation.
