American Airlines to transport over 417 tonnes of flowers from Europe to USA

American Airlines will fly over 417 tonnes of flowers from Amsterdam to the U.S. this Valentine’s Day, transporting the equivalent of 35 London buses of fresh tulips and roses for the most-romantic day of the year. With those State-side turning to Europe for fresh flora, American will fly 50% more flowers this February compared to 2022, with the airline transporting the Amsterdam-grown tulips and roses from early-February in the run-up to Valentine’s Day.

“Each Valentine’s Day, we work with growers in Amsterdam to transport locally-produced flowers to the U.S., carrying them to London Heathrow and then over the Atlantic in preparation for the big day,” said Paul Allen, American’s Regional Manager, Cargo Operations – EMEA. “For our Cargo operation, Valentine’s Day is an important milestone each year, so we’re thrilled to be flying an even higher number of flowers this year from Dutch soil, across to homes all around the U.S.”

To ensure the flowers remain in perfect condition, American Airlines Cargo maintains the cold chain in special storage refrigerators from Amsterdam to London Heathrow, and onto the U.S. This field-to-fridge process ensures the blooms remain fresh throughout the entirety of the supply chain.