Taiwanese carrier EVA Air saw its cargo revenue plunge 51 per cent in the first half of this year as falling Asian exports sliced the carrier’s freight traffic by nearly a third. EVA, which operates 17 widebody freighters contributing more than 40 per cent of its revenue from cargo, reported US$574 million in cargo revenue in the first six months of 2009. EVA’s freight traffic measured in freight tonne kilometers flown fell 31.6 per cent from the first half of 2008, with the carrier cutting its capacity by 30.6 per cent.

The declining cargo volumes have leveled off somewhat on a month-tomonth basis late in the first half of this year, with traffic and revenue largely flat from May to June the airline reported. June’s year-on-year 16.3 per cent decline in cargo volumes is the smallest decline EVA has seen in any month so far in 2009.