Hapag-Lloyd Express

Hapag-Lloyd Express
Commenced operations	3 December 2002
Ceased operations	3 April 2007 (merged with Parent company
Headquarters	Langenhagen, Germany
Key people	Roland Keppler
Website	HLX.com

Hapag-Lloyd Express (previously also marketed as HLX.com) was a no-frills, high-frequency, express airline based in Langenhagen, Germany. It operated services within Germany and to destinations in Europe.

On 15 January 2007, it combined its operations with those of

TUIfly.^[1]

While Hapag-Lloyd Flug operated all TUIfly flights, Hapag-Lloyd Express marketed them until TUIfly got its own licence.

History

Hapag-Lloyd Express was established in 2002 and began operations in December 2002 – two months after Germanwings, its direct German competitor at Cologne Bonn. Despite starting its service later and serving fewer routes, HLX gained a higher name recognition and a better reputation through its category-defining campaign "Fly for the price of a taxi". The airline subsequently won the efficiency award "Effie" in Germany and Europe in recognition of its more effective branding and marketing.^[2]

Its main competitors were more established no-frills carriers such as

TUI

's airline portfolio.

HLX adopted the IATA code of the now defunct Russian Baikal Airlines.

Services

Hapag-Lloyd Express offered no-frills services to destinations in Germany and Europe. Most of them are now operated by

TUIfly

.

Fleet

Most of Hapag-Lloyd Express' aircraft were

wet-leased from Hapag-Lloyd Flug.^[3]

Aircraft	Total	Introduced	Retired	Notes
Boeing 737-400	1	2003	2003
Boeing 737-500	5	2004	2007
Boeing 737-700	8	2002	2007	Five operated by Germania
Boeing 737-800	3	2006	2007
Fokker 100	2	2005	2006	Operated by Germania