Hapag-Lloyd Express
| Company type | GmbH (private company) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Defunct | 15 January 2007 |
| Fate | Merged with Hapag-Lloyd Flug to form TUIfly |
| Headquarters | Langenhagen , Germany |
Area served | Germany, Europe |
| Products | Budget airline services |
| Parent | TUI Group |
Hapag-Lloyd Express GmbH (branded as HLX.com) operated as a budget, high-frequency airline headquartered in Langenhagen, Germany, offering both domestic and European flights.
On 15 January 2007, it combined with Hapag-Lloyd Flug to create TUIfly. During the transition, Hapag-Lloyd Flug conducted TUIfly's flight operations, while Hapag-Lloyd Express managed marketing activities until TUIfly secured its own operating license.
History
Established in 2002, HLX commenced flights in December of the same year, shortly following the market entry of rival Germanwings at Cologne Bonn. Although HLX maintained a smaller route network, it achieved higher brand visibility through its "Fly for the price of a taxi" advertising campaign, which was honored with the German and European "Effie" awards recognizing marketing success.
Facing competition from major low-cost airlines such as Ryanair and EasyJet, alongside emerging carriers including Germanwings and Transavia.com, HLX engaged in aggressive fare competition. To serve less saturated markets, the airline expanded rapidly in early 2004 by introducing new connections like Dublin to Hamburg and Stuttgart, though some routes were subsequently discontinued. The 2007 consolidation into TUIfly was part of TUI's strategy to unify its airline operations.
HLX utilized an IATA code that was previously assigned to Russian carrier Baikal Airlines.
Services
Hapag-Lloyd Express specialized in no-frills air travel within Germany and across Europe, with most of these services now operated by TUIfly.
Fleet
Most aircraft used by Hapag-Lloyd Express were acquired through wet-lease agreements with Hapag-Lloyd Flug.
| Aircraft | Quantity | Entry into Service | Withdrawal | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Livery
The aircraft of Hapag-Lloyd Express were painted in a unique "New York taxi" inspired design featuring a yellow fuselage encircled by a black-and-white checkerboard stripe, representing swift, affordable point-to-point travel.