International express services provider DHL has launched an additional round-the-world flight connecting Hong Kong, Los Angeles and Leipzig that will create a unique service proposition on key trade lanes between Asia and Western US and Canada.

Transit time will be increased with a greater number of Asian cities, such as Penang and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as key trade hubs including Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Manila, and a significant number of cities throughout China benefiting from next-day connection into Los Angeles and much of Western US and Canada.

This represents the first time that customers in many Asian cities will be able to enjoy a one-day express delivery service with any carrier on this important intercontinental lane.

Thanks to a new onward connection from Los Angeles direct to DHL’s European air hub in Leipzig, Germany, customers in California including the key cities of Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco will be able to order a pick-up from a DHL courier up to three hours later for their European shipments.

Capacity and service reliability on this new route will be enhanced by the introduction of three Boeing 777F freighters, operated by Southern Air.

DHL announced in September 2011 that it had signed a multi-year agreement with Southern Air Holding Inc to operate B777F freighters on intercontinental routes connecting the Americas, Asia and the Middle East.

The first of these round-the-world routes – from Hong Kong to the Express hub in Cincinnati to Bahrain and back to Hong Kong – is already in operation. The additional freighters will bring the total number of B777F freighters in DHL’s global fleet to 12.