The LATAM Group, through its air cargo subsidiaries, has just concluded a historic season of Saint Valentine's Day, the “Valentine's Day” celebrated in countries in North America, Europe, Asia and some in South America. With almost 25 thousand tons of flowers exported in just 21 days from Colombia and Ecuador, the airline led the transport of flowers in South America in 2024, with an increase of 36% in the amount carried out in 2023 for the same date.
Given the high demand for flowers triggered by the celebration of this date, LATAM Cargo significantly increased the offer of flights from these countries. As a result, tons of flowers regularly transported to North America and Europe increased by 36%. The total exported corresponds to 575 million flower stems, the equivalent of one flower for every inhabitant of the United States, Colombia, Ecuador and combined.
In the so-called Valentine's season, which runs from January 18th to February 7th, LATAM Group's cargo subsidiaries carried out 418 departures from Quito, Bogotá and Medellín to deliver this local product to the United States and Europe, doubling the regular flights of Colombia and Ecuador.
“To face this demanding season, two additional freighters were added to the fleet to keep up with the increase in customers and meet the special capacity needs of the celebratory date, achieving a 36% increase in flower transport compared to the previous year. This achievement was possible thanks to close collaboration with customers, suppliers and airport teams, with all the necessary care and infrastructure for perishable products. Together we had a successful season”, Said Claudio Torres Faini, International Commercial Director for South America at LATAM Cargo.
The LATAM group has temporarily added two Boeing 767 aircraft to its cargo fleet, providing greater capacity and flexibility to its cargo customers in Ecuador and Colombia this festive season. Furthermore, in the last year, large investments were made in its hub (connection center) in Miami, the main arrival station for this product, to modernize the cold cargo warehouses, which currently represent around 9 thousand m2 of available area.
In the case of Colombia, more than 13 thousand tons of flowers such as roses, carnations and chrysanthemums left the cities of Antioquia and Cundinamarca in more than 220 flights, which translates into a 19% increase compared to Valentine's Day 2023 .
In Ecuador, the Group significantly increased the capacity offered for this season, with more than 200 frequencies, which allowed it to export around 12 thousand tons of flowers to the main global markets, almost doubling the quantity transported in 2023.
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