The Flemish government has approved an investigation into the dispute surrounding courier company DHL's use of 777 aircraft at Brussels Airport, according to Belga News Agency based in Belgium.
DHL operates night time flights at the airport on the 777, which the federal mobility minister Georges Gilkinet had apparently sent out new instructions in secret that would prevent such operations. Outgoing Flemish minister Ben Weyts had proposed looking into the dispute. The order had been drafted by Gilkinet a few days after Belgium's June federal elections, Weyts said.
DHL had been exempt from night flight regulations due to the 777 aircraft being a ""relatively large"" aircraft that can fly more quietly and does not have to be fully loaded.
According to the agency, Weyts said: ""DHL would have to replace the Boeing 777s with aircraft such as the Airbus A300. This is a smaller aircraft and therefore has to be loaded much more heavily. The noise pollution from this type of night flight can be 60% higher.""
Weyts had called for a conflict of interest against the directive to be declared by the Flemish government. With the conflict of interest approved, the directive will be suspended for a consultancy period.
The DHL Group's revenue was up slightly in the second quarter of the year, it reported on August 1, 2024, up to €20.6bn. In addition, its operating profits were slightly below the prior year's €1.7bn at €1.35bn. However, its operating profit was well above 2019's second quarter result of €769 million.
The group's CFO Melanie Kreis said its air freight volumes, as well as its ocean freight volumes, had ""further improved in the second quarter from a low starting level"". Air freight volumes were up 5% over last year's second quarter.
Flemish government to investigate dispute over DHL's use of 777s at Brussels Airport
