Lufthansa Cargo reports increased capacity utilisation in 2013
The capacity of Lufthansa Cargo aircraft was well utilised last year. Europe's leading cargo airline increased its cargo load factor in 2013 to a very high 69.9%. Having transported 1.7 million tonnes of cargo and mail, tonnage almost equalled the previous year's level.
The past financial year was characterised by muted demand in global air freight markets, as in 2012. Lufthansa Cargo continued with its highly flexible and demand-oriented capacity management in this challenging environment. This allowed the company to boost load factors and remain one of the few profitable cargo airlines in the world. At the same time, Lufthansa Cargo continued to invest in its network for its customers. This included adding the Mexican metropolis of Guadalajara and the Peruvian capital Lima to the schedule.
Lufthansa Cargo remains on course, emphasized CEO Karl Ulrich Garnadt. We are able to hold our own even in a difficult market environment and have laid the basis in 2013 for important developments in our company. If the welcome trends of recent weeks in global air cargo markets, particularly in Asia, continue then we can feel optimistic about the new year.
Lufthansa Cargo will further modernize its freighter fleet in 2014. The company already accepted delivery of two brand new Boeing 777 freighters in November of last year. Another two of these modern, fuel-efficient aircraft will be handed over to the airline in the first six months of the current year. Other projects in the Lufthansa Cargo 2020 future program will also be reaching important milestones this year. For example, the company's IT landscape will be completely revamped. The financial results for 2013 will be announced in March.