Hisane Masaki | Dec 09, 2009 10:20AM EST
Japan's two largest airlines got opposite results in international cargo volume in October as Japan Airlines volume declined for the 15th consecutive month while All Nippon Airways enjoyed its second consecutive month of growth.
JAL said on Wednesday its international cargo volume dropped 7.7 percent year-over-year to 55,958 tons. The pace of decline slowed from 14.1 percent in September and was the slowest in 14 months, signaling that recovery may not be out of reach for the biggest air carrier in Asia but only lagging behind its competitor.
During the first seven months of fiscal 2009, which started in April, JAL transported a total of 345,149 tons of cargo on international routes, down 19.3 percent from the same period of last year.
JAL also saw the volume of its domestic cargo decline year-on-year for seven months in a row through October. Domestic cargo fell 6.9 percent to 42,629 tons in October, a quicker pace than the 5.9 percent drop in September.
During the April-October period, JAL transported a total of 274,372 tons of cargo on domestic routes, down 8.3% from a year earlier.
JAL is seeking a turnaround through a complicated process under state supervision. Major U.S. airlines Delta Air Lines and American Airlines are also in the running to invest in the troubled Japanese airline.
ANA, Japan's second-largest air carrier, said on Tuesday its international cargo volume grew 7.5 percent to 33,393 tons in October. It had increased 3.7 percent in September, the first year-on-year growth in 11 months.
During the first seven months of fiscal 2009, ANA transported a total of 204,639 tons of cargo on international routes, down 4.2 percent from the same period of last year.
ANA's domestic cargo volume fell for the third month in succession in October, dropping 7.2 percent to 39,015 tons. During the April-October period, ANA transported a total of 262,384 tons of cargo on domestic routes, down 3.7 percent from a year earlier.
Contact Hisane Masaki at yiu45535@nifty.com.