Korean Air unseated Lufthansa as the world's top combination airline for cargo.
According to the latest rankings from the International Air Transport Association, KAL carried 8.164 billion freight tonne kilometers in 2004. That pushed the South Korean flag carrier ahead of Lufthansa, which had held the distinction of carrying more cargo than any other commercial airline since 1986. FedEx carries the most cargo of any air carrier, but KAL now ranks first in freight among airlines that operate passenger services.
KAL passing Lufthansa demonstrates how Asia-focused international air cargo operations have become. Three other Asian airlines filled out IATA's top five combination airline cargo carriers: Singapore Airlines ranked third, Cathay Pacific fourth, and China Airlines fifth.
KAL vowed last year to become the world's largest commercial airline cargo operator by 2007, but the new figures put the carrier ahead of schedule in meeting that goal. "This achievement is the result of our aggressive strategy to constantly enter new markets, build up our infrastructure and create strategic partnerships to meet our customers' growing needs," said Yang Ho Cho, chairman and CEO of Korean Air.
Korean Air carries cargo to 39 destinations in 25 countries worldwide.
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