Panalpina has flown 1.6 million roses on a ‘Love Plane’ Boeing 777 Freighter charter flight from Nairobi to Sydney in time for Valentine’s Day.
Kenya is one of the world’s largest exporters of cut-flowers, which represent the country’s second largest export commodity after tea, and Australia is one of the biggest Asia Pacific importers of the East African nation’s famed roses.
The ‘Love Plane’ marks the first direct full freighter flight from Nairobi to Sydney with a 777F. Panalpina is the first and only freight forwarder with this service offering in the market.
The special delivery of 1.6 million roses follows the expansion of Panalpina’s cold storage facility in Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in November 2018, which will enable the company to move a projected 80,000 tonnes of flowers, fruit and vegetables in and out of Kenya by 2020.
Panalpina’s global head of Air Freight Perishables, Quint Wilken said: “Some say love makes the world go round. Panalpina makes things go round the world, and we’re happy to make Valentine’s Day much more special for our friends down under.”
