Seasonal demand for fresh-cut flowers drives increased air freight volumes from Colombia and Ecuador, with IAG Cargo deploying its Constant Fresh service and temperature-controlled Madrid hub to support the peak
- IAG Cargo reports Spanish All Saints’ Day on 1 November is behind a spike in flower demand to Spain.
- Real Carga Ltda, a freight forwarder headquartered in Bogotá, Colombia, begins planning months in advance to anticipate demand and coordinate shipments.
- “All Saints’ Day is probably our most important peak season of the year. We begin preparing months in advance, monitoring demand and production before coordinating with our partners across the supply chain to ensure we can deliver the volumes our customers need,” Ernesto Bernal, CEO at Real Carga Ltda, commented.
IAG Cargo has reported a significant increase in flower shipments from Colombia and Ecuador to Spain ahead of the country’s annual All Saints’ Day celebrations on 1 November, transporting hundreds of tonnes of fresh-cut flowers during the month leading up to the occasion.
The seasonal movement highlights the importance of air freight in connecting Latin America’s major flower-producing regions with European consumer markets, particularly during periods of concentrated demand when product freshness and delivery schedules are critical.
Related Post
According to IAG Cargo, flower shipments handled during the period increased significantly compared with the corresponding period in 2025, although the company has not disclosed an exact percentage or comparative tonnage.
All Saints’ Day, known in Spain as Día de Todos los Santos, is an important annual observance during which families visit cemeteries to remember deceased relatives and friends. Flowers are central to the tradition, generating a substantial seasonal requirement for fresh-cut blooms in the weeks before 1 November.
Colombia and Ecuador supply Spain’s seasonal flower market
The seasonal increase in demand creates a significant logistics challenge for growers, exporters, freight forwarders and airlines, requiring careful coordination across the supply chain to ensure flowers reach their destinations in market-ready condition.
Colombia and Ecuador are among the key flower-producing countries serving international markets, with their established export industries supplying European destinations through temperature-sensitive air freight networks.
IAG Cargo has been working with customers and logistics partners across Latin America to assess demand, coordinate available capacity and facilitate the movement of flowers into Spain ahead of the holiday.
Rodrigo Casal, Regional Commercial Manager, Americas, at IAG Cargo, said the company works closely with its regional partners in the weeks leading up to the celebrations to respond to changing demand and make the best use of available cargo capacity.
He noted that operational flexibility is particularly important during this period, enabling customers to fulfil orders and deliver flowers to the Spanish market within the required timeframes.
Freight forwarders plan months ahead
For freight forwarders managing the movement of fresh flowers, All Saints’ Day represents one of the most important seasonal peaks in the annual calendar.
Real Carga Ltda, a Bogotá-based freight forwarder, begins preparations several months in advance, monitoring flower production and market demand while coordinating with supply chain partners to secure the capacity required for the peak period.
Ernesto Bernal, Chief Executive Officer of Real Carga Ltda, described All Saints’ Day as probably the company’s most important annual peak season. He emphasised that advance planning is essential to ensuring sufficient capacity is available to meet customer requirements.
Andrés Bernal, Chief Operating Officer of Real Carga Ltda, identified cargo capacity as one of the main challenges when demand rises sharply.
Fresh flowers are highly time-sensitive products, making reliable uplift, temperature management and delivery schedules essential to preserving product quality and meeting commitments to importers and distributors.
He acknowledged IAG Cargo’s continued support during the seasonal peak, highlighting the importance of the partnership in managing higher shipment volumes and maintaining the flow of flowers to customers in Spain.
Constant Fresh service supports temperature-sensitive shipments
IAG Cargo is transporting the flowers through its Constant Fresh product, a specialist service developed for temperature-sensitive perishable commodities.
The service is supported by the carrier’s dedicated Madrid perishables facility, which provides 1,340 square metres of temperature-controlled space for handling fresh produce and other time-critical shipments.
The facility, expanded following a €1.5 million investment announced in April 2024, features specialist cooling chambers monitored around the clock to maintain appropriate storage conditions. IAG Cargo also operates dedicated temperature-controlled vehicles at its Madrid hub to transfer perishables between aircraft and handling facilities while minimising exposure to ambient temperatures.
Madrid plays an important role in IAG Cargo’s Latin American network, serving as a major European gateway for shipments arriving from the region. Its perishables infrastructure supports the movement of flowers, seafood, fruit, vegetables and other products requiring specialist handling.
Beyond the All Saints’ Day peak, Constant Fresh supports exporters across Europe, Latin America, Africa and other international markets, connecting agricultural producers with customers through the airline’s global network.
Seasonal demand highlights the importance of air freight
The increase in flower shipments ahead of All Saints’ Day demonstrates the role of air cargo in supporting international agricultural trade and responding to seasonal consumer demand.
For fresh-cut flowers, speed, temperature control and dependable capacity are essential throughout the transport chain. The ability to coordinate growers, freight forwarders, airlines and destination handling facilities is particularly important during concentrated seasonal peaks.
IAG Cargo’s latest operation highlights how specialist perishable handling capabilities and established connections between Latin America and Europe support the movement of time-sensitive products to international markets.
As demand for fresh produce and flowers continues to create seasonal opportunities for exporters, reliable air freight capacity and investment in cold-chain infrastructure remain important factors in maintaining product quality and supply chain performance.
