Hit by the dual impact of both the economic downturn and the outbreak of swine flu, Japan’s largest carrier Japan Airlines (JAL), reported a net loss of Y99.04 billion (US$1.04 billion) in the three months ended 30 June. The dismal result was much larger than the Y3.41 billion net loss it posted in the same quarter last year. “The net loss was Y10 billion more than expected,” Yoshimasa Kanayama, a JAL senior vice president, said announcing the results. JAL’s cargo business took a severe hit from the down turn with t he resulting cargo revenue of 19.9 billion yen, down 56.2 per cent or 25.5 billion yen down from last year. The company said that in order to carefully match supply to demand it has endeavored to “flexibly manage cargo fleet and routes by effectively scheduling large and mid-sized freighter flights, as well as utilising cargo space available in passenger aircraft.” These efforts have reduced cargo capacity for the quarter 20.5 per cent in comparison to a year before.