May 17, 2024 What's News The text write and uses here if the customer wants to know minute estimate. We answer soon we confirm.   title : Ailing Airlines     Ailing Airlines Cargo traffic is about all that is looking up for the U.S. airline industry, but the modestly better belly business is hardly any comfort in the face of staggering losses and dwindling capacity. Northwest and Continental airlines reported double-digit growth in cargo revenue in the first quarter. But the American carriers are on track to count their losses in the billions of dollars this year and with bankruptcy and capacity cuts still the overwhelming concern for many carriers, cargo customers are increasingly nervous about the direction of the airlines. American Airlines, listing toward Chapter 11 protection, lost a huge $1.04 billion in the quarter while Delta Air Lines, Continental and Northwest had smaller losses and were plotting new cutbacks. "It scares me because the indirect air carriers rely on the airlines for their capacity," said David Wirsing, executive director of the Airforwarders Association. "So what happens if the passenger capacity goes away?" There was some hint of that as US Airways came out of bankruptcy protection a far smaller airline; the airline said it had 13 percent less capacity in the first quarter than in the same period last year. Still under Chapter 11 protection, United Airlines saw its freight business grow 2.9 percent in the first quarter but the passenger business was still in a steep decline. Embroiled in a struggle over labor cuts and executive bonuses as it fights to stay out of bankruptcy protection, American Airlines saw its cargo traffic grow 4.7 percent in the first quarter, although yield fell a similar amount. AA's cargo revenue of $134 million in the quarter was close to the level of five years ago. And airline industry bankruptcy attorneys got new work as Air Canada, fresh from separating its cargo department, filed for bankruptcy protection as the airline sought to restructure some US$8.4 billion in debt. The airline is trying to cut about a third of its workforce. Hawaiian Airlines also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after failing to win $15 million in lease concessions.