Group cargo and mail shipments at Lufthansa fell 9.3 percent in September as demand stayed weak, the German airline said Friday.
"No basic improvement in market conditions could be observed at Lufthansa Cargo," it said in its monthly report.
Passenger traffic on the other hand rose 14.6 percent thanks to consolidation of its bmi and Austrian Airlines units. Excluding the consolidation impact, it fell 3.1 percent.
Economists have been keeping a close eye on cargo shipments for clues about the state of a fragile economic recovery.
Cargo tonnage at BAA's seven British airports fell 6.3 percent in September, the smallest decline since November 2008.
Lufthansa Cargo has grounded part of its fleet this year in response to a drop in demand, but the division's head told a German newspaper he hoped for an upturn next year.
"As an optimist I expect we will see a clear recovery both in tonnage as well as in revenue and thus results," Carsten Spohr was quoted as telling the Boersen-Zeitung Friday.
Air cargo companies have been buffeted by spending curbs by businesses amid the global economic crisis. Industry body IATA has said it expects global airlines to lose USD$11 billion this year on weak passenger and cargo demand.
Lufthansa has forecast a full-year operating loss for its cargo business and has said it could also post a loss in its passenger airlines if it cannot cut costs fast enough.
