Japan Airlines Corp. (JAL) and All Nippon Airways Co. (ANA) saw their international cargo volume continue to rise in April on a year-over-year basis, according to figures released by the two biggest Japanese air carriers.

After falling for 15 months in a row, JAL’s international cargo volume rose for the sixth consecutive month in April year-over-year, growing 12.7% to 49,454 tons. But the year-on-year pace of growth slowed from 32.9% in March.

After falling for 11 months in succession, JAL’s domestic cargo volume rose for the second straight month in April on a year-on-year basis, growing 4.3% to 38,050 tons. But the year-on-year pace of growth was slower than 9.6% in March.

JAL filed for bankruptcy protection in January under the Corporate Rehabilitation Law, which is similar to Chapter 11 in the U.S., marking one of the biggest corporate failures in Japanese history. The company is in the process of rehabilitating itself under a state-backed plan.

In March, JAL announced a decision to pull out of the cargo flight business. JAL said at the time that it will adopt a new cargo business model that solely utilizes the cargo belly space of the airline’s passenger flights and will stop operating freighter flights at the end of October this year.

JAL’s decision to withdraw from the cargo flight business came less than a month after JAL ended negotiations with Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), Japan’s largest shipping firm by sales, on integrating its cargo operations with NYK’s air cargo arm, Nippon Cargo Airlines Co. (NCA).

Meanwhile, rival ANA’s international cargo volume increased for the eighth successive month in April on a year-on-year basis, surging 57.3% to 39,431 tons. The year-on-year pace of growth slowed slightly from 59.1% in March but was still whopping.

ANA’s domestic cargo volume grew for the fifth straight month in April on a year-on-year basis, rising 5.0% to 38,372 tons. The year-on-year pace of growth quickened from 2.7% in March

Source: JOC