Fall out from Cargo B continues as NCA dumps Frankfurt

NIPPON Cargo Airlines is preparing to pull out of the single largest European market, following the collapse of its partner Cargo B. With the start of the winter schedule the Japanese freighter operator is going to suspend its B747-400F flights to Frankfurt. The move will reduce the carrier’s presence in Europe to two stations – Amsterdam and Milan.

NCA executives had no comment, but sources confirmed that management had decided to stop the Frankfurt flights in an effort to conserve costs. The airline serves the German airport in tandem with Amsterdam, and management feels that it can save costs by eliminating the Frankfurt stop and covering the German market through road feeder links to and from Amsterdam.

According to sources at NCA, Frankfurt will be the only change in the carrier’s schedule for the winter. It will operate six weekly flights to Europe, 14 across the Pacific and 21 within Asia.

Apparently management is in talks with Japan Airlines Cargo about a codeshare to Frankfurt, just as the pair earlier hammered out a deal across the Pacific – but nothing has been decided so far.

“The market has dropped significantly. If we have five-six per cent growth in the coming years, it will take us until 2011 to get back to the volumes we had in 2007,” said Shawn McWhorter, president of the Americas of NCA.

For the full story read the latest issue of Air Cargo News out on 24 July.

Share this story