ACS helps to transport more than 400 tonnes of blueberries
The operation focused on maintaining product integrity through rapid ground handling and transfer to trucking networks on arrival.
Air Charter Service arranged the transport of more than 400 tonnes of blueberries from Peru to New York after a late-season surge in harvest volumes exceeded available capacity on scheduled services. The urgent movement took place over a two-week period at the height of Peru’s export season.
Ana Benavente, CEO of ACS São Paulo, commented, "Peru's main blueberry harvest runs from August to November, peaking in September and October. The country is one of the world’s top blueberry exporters, and, during these months, export volumes spike sharply — too much for regular passenger belly capacity to handle, especially on the Lima to New York route.
“Supermarkets and distributors in the US, especially on the East Coast, require fresh produce to be delivered within 24–36 hours of harvest. When a supplier’s yield exceeded the expected capacity during peak harvest season, we were asked by one of our clients if we could arrange the urgent transportation of 440 tonnes of the fruit from Peru up to New York over a two-week period. Perishable cargo rarely flies on full charters, but the sheer volumes dictated that they were needed this year. We sourced four Boeing B747-400Fs that were able to carry out the flights, each with 110 tonnes on board, with a few days in between each rotation.
“One of our team flew with the first aircraft to ensure everything ran smoothly, and he coordinated with the warehouse when the aircraft arrived to ensure the cargo was properly broken down and successfully delivered to the trucks in as swift a time as possible.”
The deployment of four Boeing 747-400 freighters enabled each rotation to carry approximately 110 tonnes, ensuring the fruit reached distribution channels within the required delivery window. The operation focused on maintaining product integrity through rapid ground handling and transfer to trucking networks on arrival in New York.
Peru has become a major supplier of blueberries to the United States, with peak harvest volumes creating periodic pressure on air cargo capacity, particularly on northbound routes to East Coast consumption hubs. Charter freighter lift is typically reserved for high-value or urgent cargo, but seasonal agricultural surges continue to drive demand for dedicated aircraft during narrow export windows.
Air Charter Service is a global aircraft charter broker with 41 offices worldwide across six continents. The company arranges private jet, commercial airliner and cargo aircraft charters, as well as onboard courier solutions, and organises more than 35,000 flights annually.
