Airborne Express (IATA: GB, ICAO: ABX, Call sign: Abex) was an express delivery company and cargo airline. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, its hub was at Wilmington, Ohio. Airborne was founded as the Airborne Flower Traffic Association of California in 1946 to fly flowers from Hawaii to the US Mainland. Airborne Express developed special narrow containers which allowed the use of passenger jet aircraft without needing a large cargo door modification. It was acquired by DHL in 2003. Prior to the acquisition, it was the third largest private express delivery company in the United States.