FedEx has started a new flight linking Dublin and Indianapolis, the second largest air hub in the company’s network, to speed transport of healthcare and other high-value freight products for shippers in the United States and Ireland.
The new direct air freight lane will operate four days per week and allow goods from Dublin to bypass congested East coast gateways and arrive at their destination one day faster, FedEx (NYSE: FDX) said in a news release on Tuesday. Ireland is a top pharmaceutical and biopharma hub. Many pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies are also based in Indiana.
Chief Customer Officer Brie Carere first disclosed the new flight on Sept. 18 during the company’s first-quarter earnings presentation, but offered no details.
“This flight highlights the success of our Tricolor international network redesign strategy in strengthening our capabilities in the global air freight market,” said Richard Smith, chief operating officer, international and chief executive officer, airline. “By adding this route, U.S.-based customers can reduce delivery times to one of Europe’s key innovation hubs, where industries like healthcare, electronics, and aerospace are experiencing significant growth. Our network, augmented by advanced digital tools, is designed to support customers in these expanding sectors.”
Over the past two years, FedEx has transformed its air network to eliminate excess capacity amid a slowdown in parcel volumes, and improve profitability and customer service. A key part of the color-coded strategy involves segregating the fleet by product categories and demand requirements. The Purple network is for overnight express, the Orange network is for premium general cargo tendered by freight forwarders and the White network is for low-priority shipments booked on commercial passenger aircraft by FedEx’s freight forwarding arm.
Ireland is a strong export market, with about 68% of total goods exported in early 2025 bound for the United States. Pharmaceuticals and medical equipment are the leading export products.
FedEx recently opened a 16,000-plus-square-foot cold-chain facility at the Indianapolis hub. The facility features three temperature zones: minus 25 C to minus 10 C (minus 13 F), 2 C to 8 C (35 F to 46 F), and 15 C to 25 C (59 F to 77 F), plus a re-icing room.
Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com.
Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.
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