ANA wants Asia-U.S. air cargo venture

All Nippon Airlines has received Japanese regulatory approval to link up with United Airlines on air freight flights.    Japan’s All Nippon Airways has asked for regulatory permission to create an air cargo joint venture with United Airlines for flights air freight flights between Asia and the U.S.
   Last week, ANA filed an anti-trust immunity application with Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. The application asks for the carriers to be able to “jointly manage trans-pacific air cargo business activities including scheduling, pricing and sales,” according to an ANA press release.
   In 2010, Japan approved ANA’s application to work with United Continental Holdings on trans-Pacific flights geared at the passenger segment, On Oct. 6, 2010, the U.S. Department of Transportation even gave the plan the unofficial go-ahead. The carriers launched the joint venture in 2011. At the same time, the DOT had granted preliminary approval to a link-up between American Airlines and Japan Airlines.
   ANA and Lufthansa Cargo received antitrust immunity from the Japanese government in September to create a similar cargo agreement. The carriers are to launch a cargo joint venture between Japan and Europe, with flights starting this winter.