Avianca Cargo transports 18,000 tonnes flowers

Avianca Cargo announced the closing of a new Valentine's Day season with close to 18,000 tonnes of flowers transported from Colombia and Ecuador to the United States.

Avianca Cargo doubled its regular capacity, operating around 300 flights during the season, says an official release.

"Avianca Cargo invested in infrastructure in Miami, the flower's main destination, expanding and modernising the Jetfloor (the type of floor used), offering a new configuration in the cooler, thus increasing its capacity by 83 percent to serve up to six flights simultaneously."

The company also set a new record in flower processing and delivery times in Miami, reducing them by 57 percent, and increased its perishable cargo depalletization (pallet breakdown) capacity by 40 percent, the release added. "In Bogota, Avianca Cargo implemented extended receiving hours for 24/7 service on the receiving lines, increased personnel in operations by 30 percent and implemented a system with virtual scheduling that reduced cargo acceptance times by 56 percent compared to 2023."

Diogo Elias, Senior VP, Avianca Cargo says: "This Valentine's Day season once again positions us as the leading cargo airline transporting flowers from Colombia to North America, doubling our capacity and strengthening the flower industry in the region. With the immense responsibility of fulfilling the customer's promise, we executed a great season with service levels above 90 percent. This is an enormous effort by the Avianca Cargo team, inspired by the trust of our customers and with precise coordination with all the actors in the supply chain. Avianca Cargo has been there from the beginning and will continue to take our region's flowers around the world for many years to come."

Among the most exported flowers this season by the airline were roses and carnations from Bogota, pompons, hydrangeas and chrysanthemums from Medellin, and roses, carnations and gypsophila from Quito, the release added.