Cœur-Europe répond à DHL sans langue de bois

11 septembre 2016
Dear Mr Gouweloose ,
As you complain in the TIJD and compare DHL’s situation in Belgium to a car let go through a red light by Belgocontrol, only to be arrested 100 meters further in Schaerbeek because of its pollution level, perhaps have you lost some common sense?
In all other European countries, DHL tries its best to minimise the noise impact of its planes on the population:
– in the UK, DHL East Midlands night-hub is located 140 km north of London, in the countryside.
– in Germany, DHL Leipzig night-hub is 120 km away from Berlin, your planes don’t fly over populated areas.
– in Italy, DHL Bergamo night-hub is 50 km away from Milan.
But in Belgium, DHL drives 98% of the cargo night flights, regularly waking-up over a million people.
But in Belgium, DHL listens too much to Flemish right-wing politicians eager to send planes over a capital they despise.
But in Belgium, DHL clearly ignores its own corporate environmental charter.
« We work closely with stakeholders to find ways of operating that generate less noise. »
« Most of our larger facilities require quick access to transportation networks and are therefore located outside residential areas. »
Flying over densely populated areas is in clear breach of the E.C. regulations relative to the balanced approached, you could not possibly expect such breach to last forever.  Why is DHL so careless in Brussels? Specially with an airport built-up too close to town by the Nazis during WWII ?
 
 
Last year, you responded favorably to the pro-business proposals we addressed to Frank Appel, your CEO.
Instead of grumbling against Mrs Frémault attempt to protect over a million inhabitants, perhaps should you spend more energy pushing Mr. Geert Bourgeois and Mr. Arnaud Feist to undertake what should have been done a long time ago:  setting-up a second cargo platform for Brussels Airport in a more environmental-friendly setting?
Perhaps would it be also appropriate for DHL to do some clean-up in its own backyard?  Some of the noisy planes DHL operates at Brussels Airport do operate at the edge of the law and against the advice of most experts, and you only know that too well.
Sincerely Your’s
Jean-Noel Lebrun
Speaker, Coeur-Europe
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Dear Mr. Lebrun,
 
Thank you for your letter dated 22 August 2015 addressed to Dr. Appel.
 
We wish to thank you for the interest you have shown in our company and for taking the time to develop these suggestions for the future of the Brussels Airport.
 
Yours sincerely,
 
Koen Gouweloose
MD DHL Aviation NV