Sponsored: Qatar Airways Cargo, the love of commitment

Planning, preparation and, above all, commitment: this is how Qatar Airways Cargo ensures that people around the world can share their love each year on Valentine’s Day. Let’s look back at the teams’ involvement.

DOHA, Qatar – Those roses that you kept seeing during the month of February, those you yourself received or offered… There is a good chance that they were among the 60 million roses shipped from Ecuador, Colombia and Kenya, on one of Qatar Airways Cargo’s many charters and special flights that networked the world on Valentine’s Day this year.

While the special day lasts only 24 hours, at Qatar Airways Cargo, customers and cargo teams prepare months in advance each year to make it a perfect day. This year, as in 2021, the effects of the pandemic on available capacity and resources were an additional challenge in the planning.

But the commitment of the teams, for whom this date is more of a season, has not been disturbed. On the contrary, every year, in the name of love, they are motivated to take up the challenges that may arise.

Keeping the love alive

The main destinations from Quito (UIO), Ecuador, and Bogotá (BOG), Colombia, are the US, Europe, Russia and Australia.

“This year, the Ecuadorian market has faced a 24 per cent drop in capacity to Europe and about 16 per cent to the US market,” says Ian Morgan, vice president of Qatar Airways Cargo Americas, leading to the addition of three Quito-Miami (MIA) flights and four additional flights from Quito to Europe and then to Doha, in addition to the five scheduled weekly cargo flights from Quito.

Source: Qatar Airways

Colombia was well served with its two scheduled flights per week from Bogota. However, the planning did not stop there; a complex temperature-controlled reshipment system was also put in place to ensure that the flowers arrived fresh and on time at their final destination.

“We use road transport services from European airports to Amsterdam (AMS) in the Netherlands, where the logistics are set up for Russia and other Eastern European countries.”

“This was Qatar Airways Cargo’s second Valentine season operating out of Colombia and our sixth season out of Ecuador,” continues Ian speaking about the 2022 Valentine’s Day.

These respective countries are the second and third largest flower exporters in the world, after the Netherlands.

“The relationship we have with our customers is never more evident, than during the Valentine period.

“The trust and support we have developed has ensured that there is, and always will be, a strong relationship in Ecuador and Columbia,” emphasises Ian.

Over in Kenya, ranked fourth in global flower exports, Qatar Airways Cargo Regional Cargo Manager Africa, Nicolas Danton points out that the carrier has been involved in the transport of flowers from Nairobi (NBO) for more than 10 years and that the airline “was largest cargo operator in NBO” for Valentine’s Day 2022.

Whatever you want, whatever you need

“Qatar Airways Cargo is always there to support the regular customers with extra capacity during the Valentine period,” continues Nicolas.

“A lot of coordination is required to arrange the charters with the authorities, and to handle the extra volumes and flights during that period,” explains Nicolas, emphasising the close and constant customer contact to ensure proper shipment planning on the respective flight days.

“At Qatar Airways Cargo, our aim is to encourage our customer’s success. We are supportive of everything they do and always go the extra mile to assist where they need us the most,” concludes Nicolas.

Source: Qatar Airways Cargo