Sunday, November 23, 2014

ANA seeks clearance for cargo JV with United Airlines

All Nippon Airways (ANA Cargo) 767-381F (33509/937) JA602F climbs from Rwy 7R at Anchorage-Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC/PANC) on September 27, 2007.
(Photo by Michael Carter)

Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) is seeking permission to form a transpacific cargo joint venture (JV) with its Star Alliance partner United Airlines.

ANA filed its antitrust application to the Japanese transport ministry MLIT on Friday, with the aim of creating “a more efficient and comprehensive” transpacific cargo network.

In a stock market disclosure, ANA said the two carriers are looking to “jointly manage transpacific air cargo business activities including scheduling, pricing and sales.”

It said the JV, which needs Japanese and US clearance, would be the first of its kind between the US and Asia, delivering “substantial service benefits,” greater choice and enabling the partners to compete more effectively with other airlines.

“United Airlines and ANA are members of Star Alliance, and this cargo joint venture will expand the relationship they have established on passenger service to the area of cargo service to further increase customer benefits,” ANA said.

The Japanese carrier already has passenger joint ventures in place with United Airlines (transpacific), Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines and Austrian Airlines (Japan-Europe).

The move forms part of ANA’s cargo expansion. It recently created a new ANA Cargo business unit to manage its freight activities and fleet of 10 Boeing 767 freighters, which operate from its Okinawa cargo hub.

(Victoria Moores - ATWOnline News)

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