U
upscorpis
Guest
REUTERS
Sen. John Rockefeller said he feared that DHL has violated a U.S. law that bars a foreign entity from owning more than 25 percent of a U.S. carrier's voting stock because of a stake in the company by Germany's big postal firm Deutsche Post, which is 69 percent government-owned.
Available information "raise very serious concerns about whether DHL Airways is actually controlled by the German parent that claims to be a minority shareholder," the West Virginia Democrat said in a Nov. 18 letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
(cropped content for legal purposes)
Rockefeller complained, among other things, that Deutsche Post paid for all maintenance, insurance, fuel and crew costs for DHL and that the airline's board is comprised of one American citizen, his two consultants and an executive from the postal service.
"It involves a exceedingly complex ownership arrangement for DHL Airways that appears to be intended to create the appearance of corporate independence while strengthening effective control by the German parent," he said.
A Transportation Department spokesman said the letter had been received but declined further comment.
(more cropping)
Rockefeller demanded that a judge look into the matter, saying the DOT's inspector general had told his office that the department's review of the DHL ownership issue was handled in an "ad hoc and informal way."
Sen. John Rockefeller said he feared that DHL has violated a U.S. law that bars a foreign entity from owning more than 25 percent of a U.S. carrier's voting stock because of a stake in the company by Germany's big postal firm Deutsche Post, which is 69 percent government-owned.
Available information "raise very serious concerns about whether DHL Airways is actually controlled by the German parent that claims to be a minority shareholder," the West Virginia Democrat said in a Nov. 18 letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
(cropped content for legal purposes)
Rockefeller complained, among other things, that Deutsche Post paid for all maintenance, insurance, fuel and crew costs for DHL and that the airline's board is comprised of one American citizen, his two consultants and an executive from the postal service.
"It involves a exceedingly complex ownership arrangement for DHL Airways that appears to be intended to create the appearance of corporate independence while strengthening effective control by the German parent," he said.
A Transportation Department spokesman said the letter had been received but declined further comment.
(more cropping)
Rockefeller demanded that a judge look into the matter, saying the DOT's inspector general had told his office that the department's review of the DHL ownership issue was handled in an "ad hoc and informal way."
