American Airlines Cargo has moved more than 1.2 million pounds (lbs.) of flowers ahead of Valentine's Day.
The carrier said the flowers mainly moved from Europe and Latin America from February 1-10, destined for locations across the globe to ensure the seasonal blooms are fresh and ready for the celebrations.
American Airlines Cargo said out of Europe, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) remained the top origin for flowers this year, with tulips being the most common type.
[Source: American Airlines Cargo]
During the 10-day peak, the cargo carrier moved fresh flowers from AMS to London Heathrow (LHR) via truck, where they then travelled on America's extensive widebody network to the US.
Top destinations for these Dutch blooms include Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Miami International Airport (MIA), and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD).
American Airlines also shipped significant volumes of flowers out of Latin American locations, including Bogota El Dorado International Airport (BOG), with the highest volumes, followed by Quito International Airport (UIO) and Medellin Airport (MDE).
This year, the flowers head to key destinations in the US, including BOS, DFW, ORD, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), as well as beyond to locations like LHR, Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) and San Juan Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU).
During the Valentine's Day peak, 90% of the flowers out of Latin America are roses.
"Moving perishable shipments is one of our specialities, thanks to our extensive global network and skilled operations and sales team members around the world," said Indy Bolina, head of global sales for American Airlines Cargo.
"We are proud of the role we play in moving fresh flowers for Valentine’s Day each year and are especially proud of the success we saw during this peak season with volumes exceeding 1.2 million lbs," he added.
[Source: American Airlines Cargo]
Valentine's Day is the first notable date in the year when American Airlines Cargo sees flower volumes peak across its cargo network, followed by the Emperor's Birthday in Japan, Easter, Mother's Day in the US and Europe, All Saints Day, US Thanksgiving and Christmas.
