February 12, 2026
- Valentine’s Day flower logistics combine extreme volume peaks with fixed delivery windows, requiring airlines to plan capacity and infrastructure months in advance to protect freshness, minimise congestion, and safeguard remaining vase-life.
- Cold-chain integrity depends on minute-by-minute handling, with early and continuous cooling, certified hub operations, and tightly coordinated ground processes critical to mitigating origin congestion, limited cool-chain space, and narrow connection windows.
- Advanced tracking, smart packaging, and data-driven tools such as SmartTrack and FlowerWatch are increasingly central to maintaining quality, providing real-time visibility and enabling proactive intervention across the end-to-end floral supply chain.
While systems are modernising quickly, people strategies are not. Moving a flower from farm to vase without losing its freshness is a logistical act of precision. And when that flower is part of a shipment of hundreds of tonnes, all bound for shops, florists and fulfilment centres ahead of Valentine’s Day, the stakes become even higher.
For cargo carriers, this isn’t just peak season. The challenge is not just volume, but temperature and timing. “Flowers are among the most unforgiving commodities in air cargo,” says Andy Newbold, Head of Commercial Cargo at Etihad Airways. “Their value is directly linked to freshness and remaining vase-life, which means even minor temperature deviations or short delays can have a disproportionate impact on quality.”
Planning begins before the roses are cut
For airlines like Etihad Cargo and Air France KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLMP), success starts months ahead of the Valentine’s peak. Forecasts are discussed, extra capacity is planned, and infrastructure is prepped — often before demand has even fully materialised.
“We are regular, weekly, and sometimes daily, in contact with our customers,” explains Julius Post, Business Development Manager Fresh at AFKLMP. “As the end of the year approaches, demand forecasts become clearer, allowing us to fine-tune capacity planning and operational adjustments.”
That same level of early engagement is mirrored at Etihad. “Planning typically begins several months in advance,” says Newbold. “Capacity decisions are finalised well ahead of the peak to protect service quality and avoid congestion.”
Even with careful preparation, Valentine’s Day brings unique complications. There’s little flexibility. Unlike other cargo, you can’t delay delivery or push volumes to the next week.
“Valentine’s Day combines extreme volume peaks with fixed delivery windows,” Newbold explains. “While demand increases significantly, tolerance for delay does not.”
And those delays can begin well before take-off. Congestion at origin airports, limited cool-chain space, and tight build-up slots mean there’s little room for error on the ground.
AFKLMP mitigates this by leaning on key regional hubs such as Curaçao and Panama, both designed to optimise flows from Latin America. Etihad relies on its IATA CEIV Fresh-certified infrastructure in Abu Dhabi, where fast transit and coordinated handovers help keep product moving.
“Common bottlenecks include origin-side congestion, limited cool-chain infrastructure, and tight connection windows,” says Newbold. “All of which are mitigated by Abu Dhabi’s certified hub operations and coordinated transfer processes.”
Minute-by-minute cold chain
To meet the spike, both carriers adjust flight schedules and deploy additional freighter capacity from key flower-producing regions. But even the best network planning only goes so far, it’s the minute-by-minute handling that protects the product.
“Where required, we can support demand spikes with additional freighter capacity,” says Post. “With careful planning and coordination, flowers are accepted, stored in cool facilities, and transported efficiently to the aircraft, where temperature control continues.”
Etihad’s FreshForward solution takes a similar approach, one that prioritises freshness above all else. “Every operational decision is guided by a single priority: maximising vase-life on arrival,” Newbold notes.
Once cut, a flower begins to degrade. And once heat enters the product, the damage is done.
“Once heat enters the product, it is very difficult to remove,” Post warns. “Maintaining early and continuous cooling is essential.”
Both carriers rely on more than refrigeration to maintain cold-chain integrity. Tracking technologies and smart packaging now play a key role, offering a window into every shipment in real time.
“Many growers and importers are increasingly using trackers and sensors within shipments,” says Post. “This provides greater transparency across the cool chain and helps identify opportunities for improvement.”
Etihad has gone further with its SmartTrack tool, which monitors temperature, humidity, light exposure, and location from origin to destination. “It allows potential issues to be identified and addressed before they impact quality,” Newbold explains.
At AFKLMP, the partnership with FlowerWatch adds another layer of insight, turning scientific data into practical safeguards. “By leveraging FlowerWatch’s scientific insights and best practices, we can proactively identify and mitigate risks to flower quality,” says Post.
“Once heat enters the product, it is very difficult to remove,” Post warns. “Maintaining early and continuous cooling is essential.”
Both carriers rely on more than refrigeration to maintain cold-chain integrity. Tracking technologies and smart packaging now play a key role, offering a window into every shipment in real time.
“Many growers and importers are increasingly using trackers and sensors within shipments,” says Post. “This provides greater transparency across the cool chain and helps identify opportunities for improvement.”
Etihad has gone further with its SmartTrack tool, which monitors temperature, humidity, light exposure, and location from origin to destination. “It allows potential issues to be identified and addressed before they impact quality,” Newbold explains.
At AFKLMP, the partnership with FlowerWatch adds another layer of insight, turning scientific data into practical safeguards. “By leveraging FlowerWatch’s scientific insights and best practices, we can proactively identify and mitigate risks to flower quality,” says Post.
Looking ahead, both airlines expect strong volumes through to Mother’s Day and the pressure is unlikely to ease.
“In South America, demand for Valentine’s Day started a little late but is now definitely there,” says Post. “Also for Mother’s Day, we have already heard good production and demand forecasts and expect this to continue until early May.”
Newbold expects capacity to remain tight, particularly during peak weeks. “Airlines with strong cold-chain expertise, efficient hub operations, and proven solutions such as Etihad Cargo’s FreshForward will be best positioned to support the market and deliver consistent quality for customers.”
SOURCE: Air Cargo Week