Japan Airlines saw declines in its cargo business accelerate during the first three months of 2008, with international freight traffic down 4.6 percent in March.

The drop in March, when jet fuel prices and airline surcharges started a rapid surge upward, left JAL's international freight traffic in the first three months of the year down 1 percent compared to the same period last year.

For its fiscal year ending March 31, JAL said international freight revenue fell 1.2 percent to $1.77 billion.

JAL's is the sixth-largest freight airline based in Asia, based on freight ton miles flown.