IAG Cargo has ramped up operations in anticipation of the peak period during the holiday season.

According to IAG, service enhancements include the addition of 2,000 same-day connections at IAG’s London Heathrow hub that allow for more last-minute movements, an increase in capacity at the Premia cargo facility to cater to the rise in e-commerce and the corresponding small-package shipments, and the addition of eight secure trucks at Heathrow that will transport high-value shipments.

“The holiday season has evolved dramatically over the last decade, with new key dates becoming huge commercial opportunities for retailers,” said David Shepherd, head of commercial at IAG Cargo. “Black Friday has crossed both the Atlantic and Pacific and is now a key shopping date around the world, with Cyber Monday also gaining traction. The last maritime shipments able to get goods to market before the holiday peak have already departed and with consumers purchasing more last-minute goods, the restocking challenge will be greater than ever. Cyber Monday, which was 2014’s busiest online-shopping date, falls on November 30 this year and air freight will play a crucial role in ensuring that orders are fulfilled. In terms of tonnage flown we predict our busiest days to be the first two weekends in December, during which time, IAG Cargo is expecting to see a daily increase of up to 30% in volumes flown compared to on an average day.”

Shepherd added that flights from manufacturing centres in Asia are critical in the holiday peak.

“We currently have 24 flights a day out of Asia, connecting manufacturers in the region to the 350 destinations on our global network, including the key markets of Europe and North America,” he said. “IAG Cargo is therefore an ideal partner for businesses as they ramp up production to meet the increase in demand at this time of year.”