Asiana Airlines Q2 Operating Profit 94.9 Billion KRW... "Cargo Division Drives Sales"

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] Asiana Airlines announced on the 17th that it recorded an operating profit of 94.9 billion KRW in the second quarter of this year based on separate financial statements.

Operating profit decreased by 17.5% compared to the same period last year, but sales increased by 14% during the same period to 933.5 billion KRW. Net profit for the period decreased by 45% to 63.4 billion KRW.

Asiana Airlines cited the increase in cargo sales as the main factor for the rise in second-quarter sales. Cargo business sales reached 708.2 billion KRW, an 11% increase compared to the previous year. This is the highest quarterly performance ever recorded. By region, routes to the Americas, Southeast Asia, and Japan increased by 13%, 33%, and 23% respectively compared to the previous year, driving strong cargo sales performance.

Asiana Airlines is making company-wide efforts to maximize cargo sales by deploying converted A350 freighters on main cargo routes in addition to existing freighters and expanding belly cargo (cargo hold under passenger aircraft) operations. Major cargo items include ▲IT and electronic device components ▲traditional domestic company export items such as e-commerce exports, as well as increased transportation of medical supplies such as diagnostic devices and masks.

Additionally, the company is actively transporting fresh food, contributing to off-season sales growth by shipping approximately 5,000 tons of cherries to the Americas and 7,000 tons of U.S. eggs.

In the passenger sector, domestic flight sales reached 64.5 billion KRW, a 101% increase compared to the same period last year, driven by increased domestic travel demand. The company plans to closely monitor market conditions and review the status of international routes in preparation for the recovery of the international tourism market as vaccination rates increase.

An Asiana Airlines official stated, “Achieving profitability amid the global aviation industry's difficulties due to COVID-19 is thanks to the dedicated efforts of employees who continue unpaid leave and wage sacrifices,” adding, “With the implementation of travel bubbles and increasing vaccination rates, we will make thorough preparations to respond to the resumption of travel demand.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.