IAG Cargo, the cargo division of International Airlines Group, has transported over 500 (538) tons of flowers across its network in time for Valentine’s Day this year, with an additional special shipment of 8 tons of champagne from London to the Maldives. Greater capacity has supported the uptick in flower shipments, which are up 23% by sold tons from 2021, with tulips, roses, carnations and chrysanthemums proving most in demand.

Over the past few weeks IAG Cargo has been operating flights carrying large volumes of flowers across its network from countries such as Kenya, India, South Africa, Holland, Colombia and Ecuador to destinations across the United States, Canada and into its hubs at London, UK and Madrid, Spain. Many of the flower shipments from Kenya in particular have been transported on the widebody Boeing 777-300, maximizing the number of goods for the celebration of romance and love across the world.

Valentine’s Day flowers rely on a complex supply chain, with IAG Cargo and freight forwarders working to transport the flowers from farms to customer shelves within 72 hours of being cut, within temperatures of between 0 and 8°C. IAG Cargo specializes in the required cold chain management via its Constant Fresh service, designed to optimize the longevity of perishables.

Freddie Overton, Regional Commercial Manager for Europe & Africa at IAG Cargo commented: “It is a busy time of the year for flowering farms, floral retailers and distributors who are all working hard to ensure consumers worldwide can cherish their loved ones this year. We’re delighted to partake in the process, with our global network ready and capable of taking flowers right across the world. We have some of the best floral facilities in the world to help get Valentine’s flowers to market, looking as fresh as the day they were cut.”