Avianca Cargo has become the latest airline to add freighter flights to Brussels Airport as the hub continues to gain cargo volumes.
The new Avianca service will fly to the Belgian hub twice a week - on Fridays and Sundays - utilising an Airbus A330-200F aircraft. The service will operate on a Bogota, Miami, Brussels, Miami, Bogota loop.
Brussels Airport head of cargo Stephen Polmans said imports are mainly perishables (flowers), while export is general cargo, automotive parts and pharmaceuticals.
Gerardo Grajales, Executive Vice President of Business Units, said. “The main purpose of this operation is to continue supporting the expansion of the flower industry and other perishable products in Latin America, as well as to offer a cargo transportation service to our customers in Europe and Asia to Latin America”.
The location of Brussels makes it easy to connect cargo to the flower auction in Amsterdam, the main operation and consolidation center in the continent for the flower industry.
Polmans also pointed out that it was the second South American freighter service launched to the airport this year. Until recently, Polmans said, the region was the hub's most underserved market.
LATAM was the first to add a South American link to Brussels when it launched a new freighter service to Uruguay’s Montevideo (MVD) Airport to cater for pharma demand.
The airport has seen air cargo volumes increase by 3% year on year to 450,558 tons over the first ten months of the year thanks to expanded passenger capacity and new freighter services.
October's figures were affected by strike action at ground handler Aviapartner.
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