Japan’s two largest airlines – Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) – saw their international cargo volume decline again in April on a yearon- year basis amid the global economic slump, but the contraction was the lowest in five months.

Japan Airlines, Asia’s biggest air carrier, said its international cargo volume declined for the ninth consecutive month in April, plunging 28.7 per cent to 39,795 tonnes, an improvement over March when the cargo dove by 38 per cent. JAL also saw its domestic cargo plunge 10.8 per cent in April from a year earlier to 33,110 tonnes after rising 1.3 per cent in March.

During the whole of fiscal 2008 ending 13 March, JAL transported a total of 568,998 tonnes of cargo on international routes, down 17.8 per cent from fiscal 2007.

Japan’s second-largest air carrier ANA said its international cargo volume dropped for the sixth successive month in April, down 16 per cent year-on-year to 22,742 tonnes which was lower than the 19.4 per cent drop in March.

ANA’s domestic cargo volume fell 4.9 per cent in April year-on-year to 33,151 tonnes after posting the first increase in three months in March, of 2.9 per cent. During the whole of fiscal 2008, ANA carried a total of 296,270 tonnes of international cargo, down 1.2 per centfrom fiscal 2007.