News Report:-
Global courier DHL has given up plans to set up its intercontinental hub at Brussels Airport after a standoff with the Belgian state over noisy air traffic, resulting in at least 1,000 job losses.
DHL's ambition to expand its business at Zaventem airport just outside the capital ran into problems last month when squabbling national and regional governments closed ranks to curb the use of MD-11 aircraft.
DHL insisted this week that its plan hinged on boosting the number of flights using the planes.
"The conditions set by the three (federal and two regional) governments involved... unfortunately do not allow DHL to set up an intercontinental hub in Brussels National (Airport)," DHL said after informing its workers, who immediately went on strike.
DHL will, however, maintain a smaller regional hub in Brussels. For its intercontinental hub from 2008, the courier is now expected to opt for either Vatry in France or Leipzig in Germany.
"We are now very closely checking the offers made by the remaining bases," a German spokesman for DHL said, denying a local German report that the company had already chosen Leipzig.
Cheers,
White Cap
