Lufthansa Cargo is currently talking to a number of airlines about developing further joint ventures along the lines of the one recently started with Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways (ANA) and hopes to announce a second such arrangement later this year.

The latest update on that first partnership, which was launched last December with joint sales on flights from Japan to Europe, was provided by Peter Gerber, Lufthansa Cargo’s executive board chairman and CEO.

Speaking during the German carrier’s annual press conference at its home hub in Frankfurt on March 19, he said the planned next stage of the venture with ANA Cargo would be the introduction of the same arrangements ex-Europe to Japan “this summer.” 

Meanwhile, he confirmed, Lufthansa Cargo was also continuing to talk with several other carriers about establishing similar ventures, although he declined to give any names or even indicate how many were involved or in which markets.

“Such operations have legal implications such as anti-trust immunity so we cannot say anything about them until all the necessary legal requirements are fulfilled,” he explained. He did, however, confirm the carrier’s intention to announce a second such venture later this year.

Asked by Asia Cargo News how Lufthansa Cargo could be optimistic about the success of the ANA joint venture when many other previous co-operations across the air cargo industry had failed, Gerber suggested a key factor was the ‘metal neutrality’ involved.

“No matter which aircraft the consignments are booked on, they go into the joint venture result and are divided between the two partners according to a pre-determined pattern. In previous ventures, it was much more favourable for partners to book cargo on their own capacity,” he explained.

To back up his optimism, he claimed the ANA joint venture had started well, with some 300 additional consignments generated by the end of February. That number, he explained, comprised consignments which Lufthansa Cargo could not carry because its space was fully booked at the time and so were instead flown on ANA aircraft. “If things continue like that, then the venture will have paid its way,” he said.

By Phil Hastings

Europe Correspondent | London