ANA may add Singapore, Vietnam cargo flights as intra-Asia trade grows

JAPAN's All Nippon Airways (ANA) may add cargo flights to Singapore and Vietnam from its Okinawa hub as rising wages stoke intra-Asia trade, Bloomberg reported.

"We need to expand our cargo network," ANA president Shinichiro Ito said, but did not indicate when flights to the two new destinations begin.

Mr Ito said the Okinawa hub helps it win business connecting China, Japan and south east Asia.

Economic growth also caused Asia-Pacific cargo shipments to increase more quickly than in Europe or North America last year, according to the International Air Transport Association.

The airline, which more than doubled its cargo traffic in the year ended March 2010, has eight Boeing 767 freighters based in Okinawa.

ANA opened the hub on Okinawa in October 2009 as the island is within four hours flying times of Hong Kong, Bangkok, Taipei, Seoul and Shanghai.

"Our cargo volume is getting higher and higher," Mr Ito said. "We're sure we can make a profit from airfreight next fiscal year."
(Source:www.schednet.com)