This month FedEx launches a direct flight between its new hub at Liege Airport and its World Hub in Memphis. Thereby bettering their Europe to North America service.
FedEx Express will use Boeing 777Fs offering 116 tons of capacity for the Liège-Memphis service. Once in Memphis, the TNT volumes will be injected into the FedEx network for delivery across the
U.S. and Canada.
From Memphis the aircraft will continue on a around-the-world flight to Shanghai (China) via Seattle (U.S.) and Anchorage (U.S.) before returning to Liège. FedEx claims that this is an important
step in connecting the FedEx Express and TNT worldwide networks, which will give TNT customers around the globe direct access to the robust portfolio of FedEx services in the U.S. and
Canada.
“This new flight by FedEx Express is a tangible example of the customer benefits that the acquisition of TNT will bring,” said David Cunningham, President and CEO of FedEx Express. “By combining
our strengths, particularly the FedEx Express air network and TNT’s strong European road capabilities and Liège hub, we will connect even more people and possibilities.”
Better North America coverage
With this new flight, TNT customers shipping to North America will benefit from broader service coverage, faster transit times and higher weight capabilities, while continuing to work with TNT as
they do today. Among the other improvements are the consistent two day transit times for express shipments from Europe to U.S. and Canadian destinations, compared with two to four days previously
and the three day transit times to U.S. and Canadian destinations for express shipments from key locations in the Middle-East, Africa and India.
According to David Binks, Regional President Europe, FedEx Express Europe, and CEO of TNT, FedEx is capitalizing on the fact that “North America, and the U.S. in particular, is Europe’s major
trading partner. “The introduction of a direct FedEx Express flight from Liège to Memphis is excellent news for TNT customers shipping to North America. It also reinforces the role of the TNT hub
in Liège as a significant operation for the group, complementing the FedEx Express hubs at Paris Charles-de-Gaulle and Cologne airports.” As another part of the integration process FedEx is also
scrutinizing the European network of TNT for possible route adjustment. More details will be revealed later this month.
Marcel Schoeters in Brussels