Japanese Air Cargo Decline Slows

Japan's two largest airlines saw their international cargo volume fall in April on a year-on-year basis amid the deep global economic slump, according to their monthly reports.

But the two airlines' international cargo operations show some signs of recovery as they both saw the rate of decline shrink to its lowest level in five months.

Japan Airlines, Asia's biggest air carrier, said its international cargo volume declined for the ninth consecutive month in April, plunging 28.7 percent to 43,867 tons. But the pace of decline was much slower than 38.1 percent in March and the slowest in five months.

JAL also saw the volume of its domestic cargo plunge 10.8 percent in April from a year earlier to 36,498 tons after rising 1.3 percent in March.

During the whole of fiscal 2008, which ended on March 31, JAL transported a total of 627,213 tons of cargo on international routes, down 17.8 percent from fiscal 2007.

Japan's second-largest air carrier All Nippon Airways said its international cargo volume declined for the sixth successive month in April on a year-on-year basis. ANA transported 25,069 tons of cargo on international routes, down 15.9 percent. The pace of decline was slower than 19.4 percent in March and the slowest in five months.

ANA's domestic cargo volume fell 4.9 percent in April from the same month of last year to 36,543 tons after posting the first increase in three months in March -- of 2.9 percent.

During the whole of fiscal 2008, ANA transported a total of 326,582 tons of international cargo, down 1.2 percent from fiscal 2007.

Contact Hisane Masaki at yiu45535@nifty.com.