Demand in the global air cargo market is currently weaker than in the two previous record years. In light of this, Lufthansa Cargo will now adjust its schedule in order to reduce its overall offering for the second and third quarters, last extended in late March. This will allow the company to ensure profitable load factors and continued deployment of its aircraft at optimum levels going forward as well.
“We have traditionally taken a flexible approach to the flight programme for our freighter fleet to suit customer requirements. This has allowed us to respond quickly to normalising demand in the market so that our operations remain cost-effective”, says Peter Gerber, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board of Lufthansa Cargo AG. “We will continue to closely observe market developments and to flexibly adapt our supply in line with demand.”
The mid-year adjustment to the flights offered is also in keeping with the planned rollover from the MD-11F freighter to the Boeing 777F jet. 2019 should see significant progress in this regard. Two new Boeing 777F aircraft were already integrated into the Lufthansa Cargo fleet in spring. The changes to the schedule will also pave the way for the final withdrawal from service of initially two MD-11F freighters by the end of the year.
With a turnover of EUR 2.7 billion and 8.9 billion revenue tonne-kilometres in 2018, Lufthansa Cargo is one of the world’s leading companies in the transport of air freight. The cargo carrier serves around 300 destinations in more than 100 countries with its own fleet of freighters, the belly capacities of passenger aircraft operated by Lufthansa German Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings and SunExpress, and an extensive road feeder service network.
