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American Airlines Cargo kicks off its first peak of flower shipments this year for Valentine’s Day, with 50% more flowers than in 2022 from Europe, 70% more roses from Ecuador, and 90% more from Colombia
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Flowers shipped year-round are roses, while tulips, daffodils and poinsettias are highly season-specific, meaning this month huge volumes of tulips and daffodils will be shipped from Europe to US and Asia
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AA Cargo has been flying fresh flowers to the Americas and Europe for over 30 years
American Airlines Cargo is transporting hundreds of tons of fresh flowers for the year’s Valentine’s season, marking the first of several flower shipment peaks the carrier will see throughout 2023.
This year, the company will fly 50% more flowers out of Europe than in 2022, or more than 417 tons, for the Valentine’s Day peak. Using its trucking network and widebody aircraft, the airline is carrying Dutch tulips and roses to the US and beyond via London Heathrow and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, the company said in a statement.
The carrier noted its team has prepared year-round for this vertical market and consistent business.
“It’s always exciting to see flowers move across our network this time of year. Our teams are passionate about the careful handling of these shipments, knowing we play an important role for our customers and, ultimately, the people around the world who will celebrate Valentine’s Day with flowers we carry,” said Emma Oliver, AA Cargo sales director for Europe, Middle East & Africa and Asia Pacific.
Roses and carnations have always been a strong export from Ecuador and Colombia, with a rich history dating for more than three decades. Throughout the year, these flowers travel through the carrier’s Miami International Airport hub before continuing domestically or on American’s transatlantic network to European destinations.
More than 70% of the fresh flowers that American carries from Ecuador and Colombia are roses, and for Valentine’s Day, that proportion increases to 90%.
“Flowers are a precious cargo. They need to arrive in perfect condition to delight our customers, and our dedicated teams recognize the importance of care, packaging, and handling to ensure they look as beautiful when they arrive at a destination as when they left the farm,” said Lorena Sandoval, AA Cargo sales director for Florida, Caribbean and Latin America.
While some of the flowers are year-round, like roses, other flowers, such as tulips, daffodils and poinsettias, are highly season-specific. Spring months see significant volumes of tulips and daffodils out of Europe to the US and Asia, while the end-of-year Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays come with a high demand for poinsettias out of Mexico and Chile.
For more than 30 years, AA Cargo teams in the Americas and Europe have consistently carried a wide range of fresh flowers, including roses, tulips, carnations, lilies, peonies, and baby’s breath, to help celebrate a wide variety of special days.
The carrier also has an expansive cold-chain network, with many of its major stations equipped with cooler spaces for use based on availability to help keep flowers fresh during their journey across the globe.
Valentine’s Day is the first holiday each year where the carrier sees flower demand increase, but there are several other celebrations, including Emperor’s Birthday in Japan, Easter, Mother’s Day in the US and Europe, All Saints Day, US Thanksgiving and Christmas, where volumes peak in multiple locations across AA’s cargo network.
