ANA Holdings has started merging cargo functions at All Nippon Airways and Nippon Cargo Airlines into a single company following its acquisition of the freighter operator, reported New York's FreightWaves.

The reorganisation aims to streamline operations, improve efficiency and boost profitability across the group's cargo business. ANA said the process will be completed by March 2027. Nippon Cargo Airlines will continue to operate independently with its own air operator certificate.

ANA Holdings completed the purchase of Nippon Cargo Airlines on Aug. 3. ANA operates six Boeing 767 and two Boeing 777 freighters, while NCA runs eight Boeing 747-8s and owns seven 747-400s, five leased to Atlas Air and two flown by ASL Airlines.

Cargo functions at ANA are currently spread across passenger and cargo divisions, slowing decision-making. Management wants a single company to oversee freighter schedules, sales, marketing, handling, accounting and technology, giving customers access to combined capacity through one sales channel and one terminal at each airport.

Initial consolidation will cover ground handling at Los Angeles International and Chicago O'Hare airports, shifting operations into NCA's existing facilities. ANA said joint use of cargo space and codeshare flights has already delivered benefits.

Under a codeshare launched Oct. 26, ANA's code appears on NCA Boeing 747 freighter services from Tokyo Narita to Chicago, New York, Dallas/Fort Worth and Los Angeles, as well as Amsterdam, Milan and Frankfurt. NCA's code is on ANA 777 freighter routes from Narita to Chicago and Los Angeles.

Codeshares allow airlines to sell flights under their own numbers even when operated by partners, giving customers direct booking and tracking. Industry officials say codeshares are more reliable than interline agreements, which involve revenue sharing and often lower cargo priority.

ANA also began codesharing in September with Air Incheon, which rebranded as AirZeta after integrating Asiana Airlines' freighter business.