LAX AIR FREIGHT TONNAGE EXCEEDS 2001 LEVELS FOR FOURTH MONTH; 
ONTARIO AIRPORT POSTS YEAR-TO-DATE GAINS IN JUNE, JULY, AUGUST

(Los Angeles, CA -- September 23, 2002) For the first time this year, airfreight tonnage figures reported by 77 airlines serving Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) showed year-over-year increases for four consecutive months. The reported tonnage increases were for the months of May, June, July, and August.

In August, airlines tallied greater domestic tonnage shipped in 2002 than in 2001. Domestic shipments were up 4.9 percent to 78,605 tons, while international shipments were flat - 78,229 compared to 78,950 in 2001. For the month, total shipments were up 1.78 percent over 2001 -- 156,834 tons versus 154,086 tons in 2001. Year-to-date figures show January through August 2002 only 0.19 percent below those same months in 2001.

Airlines in July handled more domestic and international tonnage in 2002 than in 2001. For the month, total shipments were up 11.09 percent over 2001 -- 159,546 tons versus 143,615 tons in 2001. Domestic shipments were up 14.9 percent to 75,564 tons, while international shipments registered a 7.7 percent increase to 83,982 tons.

Year-to-date, July 2002 again almost pulled even with the same period in 2001, 1,032,888 versus 1,034,447 tons. Domestic shipments advanced to 509,137 tons, while international tonnage was slightly behind in the first seven months of 2002 -- 523,751 tons versus 541,924 in 2001.

The strong air cargo demand reported by airlines during the summer started last May. For May 2002, airlines recorded a total of 155,634 tons, an increase of 4.01 percent in freight tonnage compared to the 149,631 tons handled in May 2001.

Airlines handling domestic freight shipments pushed that category into positive territory for the first month during 2002 in comparison to 2001, and exceeded the amount moved for the first five months of this year compared to the same period last year. While the increase in domestic tonnage amount was small -- 356,163 tons this year versus 355,524 for January through May 2001-- it set the stage for similar month and year-to-date hikes in the following months.

Domestic and international air freight totaled 164,067 tons in June 2002 versus 156,186 tons in 2001, a 5.05 percent increase. This increase combined hikes in both domestic and international shipments of 2.8 percent and 7.1 percent, respectively. Once again, June followed May with year-to-date increases in domestic shipments, 433,093 tons in 2002 versus 430,356 tons in 2001. Guy Fox, president of the Los Angeles Air Cargo Association, predicts further gains in the months to come. "The consumer is still going to buy. We are seeing strong gains in the amount of wearing apparel and shoes shipped through LAX. Large domestic chains are importing goods into the U.S. through the airport."

These tonnage increases are occurring even in the face of stiff competition for airlift because of rising demand and prior airline service cutbacks last year. Fox added that shippers face capacity shortages on flights from Asia and rates are rising as a result. Additionally, several European airlines have either discontinued service to LAX or reduced the number of their flights causing delays in shipments to LAX.

Seventeen airlines at Ontario International Airport (ONT), a regional air carrier airfield operated by LAWA east of Los Angeles, reported month-over-month air cargo tonnage gains in June, July, and August over the same months in 2001. It also reported year-to-date tonnage increases in June of 6.65 percent, July of 9.25 percent, and August of 14.27 percent compared to the same year-to-date periods in 2001.