With the closing of the Valentine’s Day season and close to 18,000 tons transported
- Avianca Cargo closes another Valentine’s Day season with close to 300 cargo flights operated from Colombia and Ecuador to North America between January 16 and February 8, carrying close to 18,000 tons of flowers.
- The airline invested in infrastructure by expanding and modernizing its Jetfloor (the type of flooring) in the cooling facilities in Miami, offering 83% additional capacity.
- Avianca Cargo continues to lead the transportation of flowers from Colombia to the United States, executing a season focused on quality, on-time performance, and a premium service.
Miami, February 12, 2024 – Avianca Cargo, leader in air cargo transportation, announces the closing of a new Valentine’s Day season, providing its customers with the highest levels of quality, service and punctuality. With close to 18,000 tons transported from Colombia and Ecuador to the United States, Avianca Cargo doubles its regular capacity for this product, operating around 300 flights during the season.
The company prepares months in advance for Valentine’s Day, and this year it’s focus was on implementing logistical solutions to ensure an efficient season. Avianca Cargo invested in infrastructure in Miami, the flower’s main destination, expanding and modernizing the Jetfloor (the type of floor used), offering a new configuration in the cooler, thus increasing its capacity by 83% to serve up to 6 flights simultaneously.
Also in Miami, the company set a new record in flower processing and delivery times to its customers, reducing them by 57%, and increased its perishable cargo depalletization (pallet breakdown) capacity by 40%. In Bogota, Avianca Cargo implemented extended receiving hours for 24/7 service on the receiving lines; increased personnel in the operation by 30%; and implemented a system with virtual scheduling that reduced cargo acceptance times by 56% compared to 2023.
“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%. 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,” affirmed Diogo Elias, Senior VP of Avianca Cargo.
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.
“Colombian flower exporters must respond during special dates with quality and timeliness to thousands of international customers. The efficiency of this export process is due to the relationships between producers, authorities, suppliers, transporters and traders. By optimizing distribution times, among other aspects, our Petal Plan is recognized locally and internationally. In this sense, Avianca Cargo is and will be a very important ally for Colombian flowers to continue bringing joy to hearts in U.S. homes,” said Augusto Solano, president of the Asociación Colombiana de Exportadores de flores, Asocolflores.
As a tribute to the flowers from Latin American, Avianca Cargo celebrates the greatness of this product with an exclusive flower design on one of its airplanes as a symbol of its commitment to continue supporting the flower industry.
About avianca cargo
Avianca Cargo is a leader in the region and the main operator in different markets in the Americas, with around 200 cargo flights per week and more than 1,300 passenger flights per week. It serves more than 70 destinations with one of the largest route networks in the Americas and uses the A330F as the most sustainable cargo fleet in the region.
It is the first airline in the Americas to obtain IATA CEIV certifications in four different categories: Pharma, Fresh, Live Animals and Lithium Batteries; in 2022 it was recognized as a global leader in air cargo logistics for handling perishable goods by STAT Times, in 2023 it was recognized as the Best Cargo Airline in the Americas by Air Cargo News and continues to elevate its position in relevant markets