German cargo carrier puts on the breaks after record year.

Germany’s biggest cargo carrier, Lufthansa Cargo, transported around 1.9 million tonnes of freight and mail in 2011, an increase of 5%, year on year. The carrier also increased capacity over the year by 8.6%, chiefly owing to the integration of the fleet of Austrian Airlines in the second half of 2010 and the expansion of its Aerologic joint-venture to eight B777 freighters. Sales, measured in revenue freight-tonne km (FTK) rose by 6.5%, boosting capacity utilisation to 69.5%.
The cargo carrier is cautiously optimistic about the year ahead. But despite this and in view of the sluggish world trade development Lufthansa Cargo will not expand the cargo capacity by 3% as originally planned in 2012. Instead it aims to keep it on 2011 levels. The company is also re-examining its China business which so far generated approx. 20% of the cargo volume. Of crucial importance for the carrier’s future is the impending ruling by the highest Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig on the number of permissible night flights at Frankfurt Airport.

www.lufthansa-cargo.com

Logistik express Redaktion Ursula Schmeling