Avianca Cargo Leads Flower Transportation From Colombia to North America, Doubles Its Regular Capacity
Avianca Cargo announces the closing of a new Valentine's Day season. 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 its 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 percent to serve up to six flights simultaneously.
Also in Miami, the company set a new record in flower processing and delivery times to its customers, reducing them by 57 percent, and increased its perishable cargo depalletization (pallet breakdown) capacity by 40 percent. In Bogota, Avianca Cargo implemented extended receiving hours for 24/7 service on the receiving lines; increased personnel in the operation by 30 percent; and implemented a system with virtual scheduling that reduced cargo acceptance times by 56 percent 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 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," said 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.
