Tokyo / Frankfurt / Copenhagen / Singapore, July 5 2002 - Japan Airlines' Cargo Division (hereinafter refered to Japan Airlines Cargo) will join the WOW airfreight alliance on July 5 2002. The announcement was made in Tokyo today by Juntaro Shimizu, Senior Vice President, Cargo & Mail of Japan Airlines, Dr. Andreas Otto, Member of the Executive Board at Lufthansa Cargo AG, Peter Gronlund, President & CEO of the SAS Cargo Group and Hwang Teng Aun, President of Singapore Airlines Cargo. With them at the conference were Isao Kaneko, President of Japan Airlines, and Takashi Masuko, Executive Vice President , Chief Officer, Cargo & Mail of Japan Airlines.

Japan Airlines Cargo's decision means the WOW alliance has gained one of the major players in the air cargo business. The WOW alliance now boasts a combined fleet of 43 dedicated freighters, and the bellyhold capacity of more than 760 passenger aircraft, many of them widebodied jets. Between them, Lufthansa Cargo, Singapore Airlines Cargo, SAS Cargo and now JAL Cargo offer an unparalleled network of destinations, linking the world's major trading centres.

"We believe that by this strategic step we are able to enhance the global approach of JAL Cargo. By adding to WOW's harmonized product portfolio and worldwide air cargo network we will keep the pace of our customers' demands and the trends of globalization", stated Juntaro Shimizu, Japan Airlines Cargo.

Lufthansa Executive Board Chairman Jürgen Weber welcomes the expansion of the WOW freight alliance: "With the integration of JAL Cargo, Lufthansa Cargo and WOW are gaining one of the strongest freight carriers in the Asian market as a partner. This will further reinforce the Lufthansa's position in this market and optimally expand the global network represented by this airfreight alliance."

"We are extremely pleased to have found such a prestigious partner. Japan Airlines Cargo will ideally enhance our global network. Like the existing WOW partner airlines, Japan Airlines Cargo is sharply focused on the airfreight business. That is very important for us," said Dr. Andreas Otto, Lufthansa Cargo.

President of Singapore Airlines Cargo, Mr. Hwang Teng Aun, said JAL's stable of products would fit easily into the WOW alliance's services. "We have invested in the processes and IT systems to ensure that we add more value for our customers. J Speed and J Freight will integrate well with the WOW joint express and general cargo products."

"Japan Airlines Cargo joining WOW is a natural development of our prior bilateral and also tripartite co-operation including Lufthansa Cargo. With JAL Cargo's extensive network, and exclusive know-how on the Japanese market, we can offer our customers even better solutions", says Mr. Peter Grønlund, President and CEO of SAS Cargo Group AS.

The inclusion of Japan Airlines Cargo will significantly expand the alliance network in northern Asia. With Japan Airlines Cargo as a fourth partner, the WOW alliance will establish a major presence in Japan, Asia's largest economy.

Lufthansa Cargo, SAS Cargo and Singapore Airlines Cargo laid the foundations for the airline grouping, initially under the "New Global Cargo" project name, in Kronberg near Frankfurt on April 26 2000. The alliance assumed the new name of WOW on March 14 2002.

Through close cooperation, the alliance partners aim to offer customers a greatly expanded network. They have also harmonised their air cargo services so that their individual products, such as express services, can be transported seamlessly throughout the alliance network.

On October 1 2001, Lufthansa Cargo, SAS Cargo and Singapore Airlines Cargo began offering their harmonised premium express Services "td.Flash", "SAS Priority" and "Swiftrider", to customers as a time-definite service across their network. Although the three products have retained their established brand names, they now shares key features. No matter which of the partner airlines transports a shipment in the alliance's worldwide express network, the customer can count on the same product promises and service guarantees.

From April 1 this year, the WOW partner airlines also harmonised their general cargo products, continuing the alliance's commitment to offering customers "Three Products - One Promise". The general cargo products from SAS Cargo and Singapore Airlines Cargo as well as "td.Pro" from Lufthansa Cargo are transported time-definite by airfreight. Any of three products can be booked to the destinations within the common network.

Japan Airlines Cargo will play an active part in the alliance's ongoing development. The Japanese cargo carrier is already cooperating in the WOW project team, which is at work harmonising the individual product portfolios, networking the partner airlines' IT systems, standardising handling processes and exploiting synergies in sales.

Further information:
Singapore Airlines Cargo
Public Affairs Department
Geoff Breusch
Tel.: +65 6541 4035
Fax: +65 6545 6083
www.siacargo.com

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