Hapag-Lloyd Express GmbH, also known as HLX.com, was a no-frills, high-frequency, express airline based in Langenhagen, Germany. It played a significant role in the European aviation panorama during its operational years from 2002 to 2007. On 15 January 2007, it combined its operations with those of Hapag-Lloyd Flug into TUIfly.Flight International 3 April 2007 While Hapag-Lloyd Flug operated all TUIfly flights, Hapag-Lloyd Express marketed them until 1 July 2010.
History
Hapag-Lloyd Express GmbH was established in 2002 and began operations in early December, two months after Germanwings, its direct German competitor at Cologne Bonn airport. Despite starting its service later and serving fewer routes, HLX gained a higher recognition and a better reputation through its category-defining campaign "Fly for the price of a taxi", as well as higher load factors. A digital-first strategy resulted in more absolute website traffic and a higher share of online sales than any other airline in Germany within the first year of operation. The airline subsequently won the "Effie" efficiency awards in Germany and Europe recognizing its more effective branding, marketing, and sales strategy.
Its main competitors were more established no-frills carriers such as Ryanair and EasyJet, as well as other low-cost startups such as Germanwings or Transavia.com, consequently being constantly engaged in a price war with these carriers. In an attempt to win it, the airline expanded rapidly in the first half of 2004, announcing many new routes that it viewed as underserved by other airlines. Examples of such routes included Dublin to Hamburg and Stuttgart, both of which were later cancelled.
Hapag-Lloyd Express (HLX) accelerated the adoption of low-cost air travel in Germany by combining bold branding and marketing with an early hybrid LCC model, demonstrating both the demand potential and the structural limits of subscale, tour-operator-backed entrants in a consolidating European market. In January 2007, Hapag-Lloyd Express and Hapag-Lloyd Flug were merged into TUIfly as an attempt to reorganize TUI's airline portfolio. HLX continued operations until its complete absorption on July 1, 2010.
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.
Aircraft typeTotalIntroducedRetiredRemarksBoeing 737-400120032003Boeing 737-500520042007Boeing 737-7008200220075 operated by GermaniaBoeing 737-800320062007Fokker 100220052006Operated by Germania
Livery Hapag-Lloyd Express aircraft were highly recognizable due to their distinctive "New York taxi" style: a checkered black and white line wrapped around a yellow body, aiming to convey the image of quick and cheap point-to-point service.
See also List of defunct airlines of Germany
References
External links
Hlx.com (archive)