Lufthansa Cargo transported 426,000 tonnes of freight and mail in the first three months of the year. Tonnage in the term was down by 9.3 per cent in comparison with the exceptionally strong first quarter in 2011. In a difficult market environment, Lufthansa Cargo reacted as in the previous year with flexible and demand-driven capacity management. The cargo carrier reduced capacity in all traffic regions. Overall year-on-year, capacity was down by 8.2 per cent, enabling the company to maintain the load factor at a high 69.5 per cent (minus 0.4 percentage against year-earlier level). 

Despite the capacity reduction, Lufthansa Cargo further developed its route network systematically in the first quarter 2012. New in the timetable this year are regular freighter services to the Chinese metropolis of Chongqing, to Detroit, the centre of the US automotive industry, as well as to Montevideo in Uruguay. 

“Lufthansa Cargo is confronted by immense challenges. Restrained demand in the airfreight business and the drastic impact of the night-flight ban in Frankfurt demand that we exercise 
maximum flexibility,” emphasised Lufthansa Cargo Chairman and CEO Karl Ulrich Garnadt. “But we are a healthy and strong company. When demand picks up, our excellent positioning in all traffic regions will enable us to utilise market opportunities over the course of the year.“ 

The financial results for the first three months of the year will be published on 3 May.