Volumes declined at Lufthansa Cargo in the first nine months of 2012. Compared with the first nine-month period in the previous year, tonnage fell by 8.9 per cent in the term to 1.29 million tonnes. In a highly demanding global market, the business of Germany’s biggest cargo carrier from January through September was depressed especially by a downturn in the Asia/Pacific region (minus 12.9 per cent).

Given the adverse market environment, Lufthansa Cargo made flexible use of its capacities to keep utilisation on a high level. The load factor fell year-on-year only marginally by 0.3 percentage points to 69 per cent.

“Knowing how volatile the airfreight business is and aware of the importance of exercising maximum flexibility, we make a point of focusing particularly on capacity management,“ emphasised Chairman and CEO Karl Ulrich Garnadt. In that way, Lufthansa Cargo has kept utilisation of its aircraft stable in spite of the weak market. Garnadt: “Whenever fuel prices are high, the rule that only high load factors enable a cargo airline to fly profitably applies more than ever.�

The financial results for the first nine months of the year will be published on 31 October.