Lufthansa Cargo is looking to forming a partnership with another airline by the middle of this year ahead of further cooperation deals, according to CEO Karl Ulrich Garnadt.
Mr Garnadt said the aim of such partnerships would be to increase the number of routes and destinations the airline could offer while helping to cut costs by taking advantage of the partner's logistics handling facilities.
"We are in talks with more than one airline, a second partnership should follow in 2015," said Mr Garnadt.
The CEO said that yields at the company stabilised at the end of last year, but that it was difficult to make any forecasts beyond that, Reuters reported. "What works in the passenger business should also work in cargo, even though it is more difficult to set up," he said.
The cargo carrier reported a 2013 operating result of EUR77 million (US$105.9 million), a decrease of 27 per cent compared to the previous year on 9.2 per cent lower revenue to EUR2.44 billion.
The company said it hoped to increase the amount of goods it carries by five per cent this year and significantly improve operating profit.
"Those with only freighter capacity will have tough times ahead," Mr Garnadt said.
The company will take delivery of four new Boeing 777F freighters this year to replace four MD-11s. Mr Garnadt said that two of those MD-11s had been sold, but two would be kept in case demand picked up.
The two MD-11s will also be needed in the coming years after the airline decided to postpone a decision on whether to firm up an option for the first of what could be a further five 777Fs, according to Shipping Gazette.
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