Watch Now


Love is in the air

Airlines say flower volumes this season have increased despite pandemic

British Airways, part of IAG Group, is flying flowers like these from Nairobi, Kenya, to consumers around the world. (Photo: IAG Cargo)

(Updated 11:30 A.M. ET, weather events and Costco)

Add flowers to the list of items that have grown in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic. 

The economic downturn and large-scale unemployment have not dampened interest in celebrating Valentine’s Day on Sunday with flowers. In fact, flower orders were blossoming before the holiday because they brighten people’s mood in dark times and offer a way to connect with family and loved ones, according to flower distributors.

COVID has turned consumption patterns upside down. Exercise and sports equipment, home office products, bicycles, hot tubs, furniture and electronic devices are flying off digital shelves and filling ocean containers and cargo planes because people are looking for things they can enjoy while confined at home or safely distanced outdoors. 


And airlines have stepped up to meet the increased demand, especially for flowers. More than 30 million pounds of flower were shipped this season by air cargo, according to the Cargo Airline Association. As FreightWaves detailed last year, the logistics supply chain for flowers involves many handoffs between parties, but they all have the same requirement to preserve freshness by maintaining temperatures between 0 and 2 degrees Celsius.

Some people may not get their flowers on time. The wicked winter weather hammering large sections of the U.S., however, is making parcel deliveries difficult. UPS and FedEx (NYSE: FDX) are warning customers to expect some delays, while airlines have canceled many flights and stopped accepting cargo at many airports. Costco (NASDQ: COST) notified people who made online purchases that flower shipments not delivered by Saturday, Feb. 13, would receive a full refund along with a $20 Costco Shop Card.

“We regret to inform you that due to inclement weather throughout the U.S. your floral order may have been delayed. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused,” the retailer said in an email to customers.

UPS (NYSE: UPS) estimates it will deliver more than 850,000 boxes of flowers this season, a 48% spike from 2020. The total amount of flowers delivered via air and direct-to-consumer express shipments grew 30% in 2021 from about 70 million fresh stems to 91 million stems. The Atlanta-based parcel delivery giant also said it expects to make more than 125 flights from South America to Miami to support the Valentine’s Day rush, up nearly 20% from 106 flights last year.


In Miami, flowers are stored in refrigerated warehouses for a few hours until they are loaded on a flight to their final destination.

The Society of American florists says the industry has experienced an uptick in demand for fresh flowers and plants during the past several months, which they attribute to feelings of isolation. 

LATAM Airlines, based in Chile, says it has transported 7% more flowers so far this year than in 2020. The company operated about 225 flights from Colombia and Ecuador to Miami. with roses, spray roses, alstroemeria, gerberas,and  gypsophila. From Miami, flowers are distributed throughout North America and to Europe. 

International Airlines Group, which includes British Airways, said it transported about 18 million stems ahead of Valentine’s Day. The company has been operating four flights per week from Nairobi, Kenya, to London Heathrow Airport and the U.S. to support producers, freight forwarders and distributors. 

Since the pandemic began, many passenger airlines have put planes to use as pure freighters. 

Air Canada has been transporting flowers from Bogota, Colombia, and Amsterdam. 

Major carriers moving flower exports from South America to the U.S. include American Airlines, Avianca, Atlas Air, Centurion,  FedEx and DHL. 

Click here for more American Shipper/FreightWaves stories by Eric Kulisch.


RELATED NEWS:

You can’t say “I Love You’ without logistics

Eric Kulisch

Eric is the Supply Chain and Air Cargo Editor at FreightWaves. An award-winning business journalist with extensive experience covering the logistics sector, Eric spent nearly two years as the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Automotive News, where he focused on regulatory and policy issues surrounding autonomous vehicles, mobility, fuel economy and safety. He has won two regional Gold Medals and a Silver Medal from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for government and trade coverage, and news analysis. He was voted best for feature writing and commentary in the Trade/Newsletter category by the D.C. Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He was runner up for News Journalist and Supply Chain Journalist of the Year in the Seahorse Freight Association's 2024 journalism award competition. In December 2022, Eric was voted runner up for Air Cargo Journalist. He won the group's Environmental Journalist of the Year award in 2014 and was the 2013 Supply Chain Journalist of the Year. As associate editor at American Shipper Magazine for more than a decade, he wrote about trade, freight transportation and supply chains. He has appeared on Marketplace, ABC News and National Public Radio to talk about logistics issues in the news. Eric is based in Vancouver, Washington. He can be reached for comments and tips at ekulisch@freightwaves.com