The negotiations took a long time, originally set to be completed on 31MAR25. However, on 01AUG25, the takeover was finalized: ANA Holdings has acquired all shares of former domestic rival, Nippon Cargo Airlines. Through the takeover, All Nippon Airways becomes Japan’s largest passenger and cargo carrier. The integration of NCA’s Japan-Europe and U.S. routes with ANA Group’s international network, results in an expanded global cargo reach. Lufthansa Cargo will also benefit from this step, since both carriers’ route joint venture is to be revived. It was halted temporarily following ANA’s decision to purchase NCA.
The intention to revitalize the route joint venture has nowbeen confirmed by Jan Paulin, spokesperson of Lufthansa Cargo, when asked by CargoForwarder Global. “Following the temporary suspension of the agreement with All Nippon Airways, we will now resume talks on restarting the paused Lufthansa Cargo/ANA Cargo joint venture and define the next steps in accordance with the legal framework,” he said. Paulin declined to comment on ongoing negotiations for reasons of principle.
It is likely that the joint venture between the cargo divisions of ANA and United Airlines will also be revived along similar lines. In addition, Swiss WorldCargo is likely to be in the starting blocks to join the air freight alliance, as recently agreed on the Atlantic routes between Swiss WorldCargo, United Cargo and the Lufthansa Group.
Tripling the capacity
The takeover of competitor NCA will give ANA’s cargo aircraft fleet a significant boost. ANA currently operates six Boeing 767 freighters and two Boeing 777F, while NCA has eight Boeing 747-8F units in its fleet. This almost triples the transport capacity orchestrated by ANA from currently 550 tons to roughly 1,560 tons. This enhancement will not only significantly strengthen the Group’s position as Japan’s largest combination carrier but also elevate the ANA Group to the world’s 14th largest airline group based on cargo transport weight, reads a press release. In addition to the total capacity offered, there are seven B747-400Fs that have been leased by NCA to other airlines on a long-term basis.
“The strategic integration of NCA’s freighter network and specialized cargo expertise with the ANA Group’s existing infrastructure will greatly improve our capability to serve our customers’ needs,” said Koji Shibata, President and CEO of ANA HD. “We are committed to leveraging this expanded capacity and combined knowledge to deliver exceptional value in our cargo transport solutions globally.”
Increasing profitability
By combining ANA Group’s international network with NCA’s expertise in special commodities and mass transportation of loads using large freighters, ANA will further strengthen its services to meet diverse customers’ cargo transport needs. ANA Group will also support customers in optimizing their supply chains or business opportunities, aiming to deliver added value through cargo transport.
Due to NCA’s inclusion, ANA Group’s profitability is expected to increase, as the strengthened cargo business will improve its resilience against market volatility and economic changes. An additional and important aspect is that the congested Narita Airport is expected to enhance its functions by building a new runway, which will substantially increase the number of departures and arrivals. Under such circumstances, ANA Group is committed to sustainable growth and to contributing to the wellbeing of the society as a vital logistics player supporting people in Japan and worldwide, management stresses in a statement.
With NCA as new part of the company, ANA’s financial balance sheet and income statement are planned to be consolidated from the 2nd quarter of fiscal 2025.
