Japanese Air Cargo Slump Eases

Japan's two largest airlines both saw their international cargo volume continue to fall in June on a year-on-year basis but at the slowest pace in eight months, according to their monthly reports.

Japan Airlines, Asia's biggest air carrier, said that its international cargo volume declined for the 11th consecutive month in June on a year-on-year basis, falling 19.7 percent to 49,561 tons. But the rate of decline was smaller than 21.7 percent in May and the smallest since last October, when it stood at 12.7 percent.

During the April-June quarter, JAL transported a total of 137,609 tons of cargo on international routes, down 23.4 percent from the same three-month period of last year. The pace of decline in the April-June quarter was significantly slower than 39.4 percent in the January-March quarter.

JAL also saw the volume of its domestic cargo decline for three consecutive months in June on a year-on-year basis, falling 9 percent to 35,587 tons. The June decline followed a drop of 10.8 percent in April and 11 percent in May.

During the April-June quarter, JAL transported a total of 107,260 tons of cargo on domestic routes, down 10.3 percent from a year earlier.

Japan's second-largest air carrier All Nippon Airways said that its international cargo volume declined for the eighth successive month in June on a year-on-year basis.

ANA transported 28,292 tons of cargo on international routes in June, down 4.9 percent.The rate of decline was much smaller than 14.7 percent in May and the smallest since the airline's international cargo volume rose 6.5 percent last October.

During the April-June quarter, ANA transported a total of 79,301 tons of cargo on international routes, down 11.9 percent from a year earlier. The pace of decline in the April-June quarter was significantly slower than 23.2 percent in the January-March quarter.

ANA's domestic cargo volume fell for three months in a row in June on a year-on-year basis, declining 1.0 percent to 35,676 tons. The June decline followed a drop of 4.9 percent in April and 6.6 percent in May.

During the April-June quarter, ANA transported a total of 106,424 tons of cargo on domestic routes, down 4.2 percent from a year earlier.

Contact Hisane Masaki at yiu45535@nifty.com.