Liege Airport positioned as Europe’s next big air cargo flower hub
EUROPE – Liege Airport (LGG) is emerging as a key player in Europe’s air cargo industry, with the potential to become the largest hub for flower imports on the continent.
Willum van den Hoogen, Managing Director of Florius International FZCO, shared insights with Floral Daily into why Liege Airport could be a viable alternative.
The flower industry, which has long relied on Schiphol for air transport, has been hit by a significant reduction in cargo handling slots at the airport. Van den Hoogen noted that this trend has developed over the last 10-15 years.
“Schiphol’s focus is shifting from handling large quantities of cargo to improving cargo quality. This limits the amount of flower freight they can handle,” he explained.
Last year, Joost van Doesburg, Head of Cargo at Royal Schiphol Group, confirmed this strategy, adding that expansion of flower cargo capacity was not in the plans.
Additionally, disruptions like the situation in the Suez Canal and the rise of e-commerce have made the situation more challenging for the industry.
“With sea freight delays and increased freighter activity between Hong Kong, Shanghai, and other East Asian locations, many carriers are opting for east-west routes, which reduces the availability of north-south flights for flowers,” Van den Hoogen added.
This has forced exporters from African and Latin-American regions to explore new routes, pushing the flower industry toward alternatives like Liege Airport.
Liege Airport has been handling a growing volume of flower cargo in recent years. Van den Hoogen highlighted that on some days, the airport receives up to seven full freighters filled with flowers.
“Freighters can land 24/7, and the airport benefits from lower landing fees, fewer noise restrictions, and more available land and labor,” he said. These advantages suggest that Liege Airport could handle even more flower freight in the future.
However, Van den Hoogen pointed out that there is still room for improvement. “Liege’s infrastructure isn’t fully equipped to handle perishable products like flowers. The focus has been on speed, but that often comes at the expense of quality,” he noted.
He mentioned that flowers were stored in uncooled warehouses where temperatures exceeded 20 degrees Celsius, far from the ideal storage temperature of 1 degree.
Van den Hoogen believes that if the airport invests in proper cooling facilities, it could become a more attractive option for flower importers and exporters.
In addition to infrastructure improvements, Van den Hoogen suggested that the flower industry itself needs to adapt. “For too long, the industry has prioritized quantity over quality. Importers and exporters should not accept flowers stored at temperatures above 5 degrees Celsius,” he argued.
He also pointed to the U.S. market, where most flowers are dry-packed and cold-stored, resulting in a more efficient and higher-quality supply chain.
As Schiphol’s capacity for handling flower cargo continues to decline, Liege Airport presents a promising alternative for the industry. “Liege has the potential, and with the right investments, it could offer a robust cold chain that would benefit everyone involved,” Van den Hoogen concluded.
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Liege Airport positioned as Europe’s next big air cargo flower hub
EUROPE – Liege Airport (LGG) is emerging as a key player in Europe’s air cargo industry, with the potential to become the largest hub for flower imports on the continent.
Willum van den Hoogen, Managing Director of Florius International FZCO, shared insights with Floral Daily into why Liege Airport could be a viable alternative.
The flower industry, which has long relied on Schiphol for air transport, has been hit by a significant reduction in cargo handling slots at the airport. Van den Hoogen noted that this trend has developed over the last 10-15 years.
“Schiphol’s focus is shifting from handling large quantities of cargo to improving cargo quality. This limits the amount of flower freight they can handle,” he explained.
Last year, Joost van Doesburg, Head of Cargo at Royal Schiphol Group, confirmed this strategy, adding that expansion of flower cargo capacity was not in the plans.
Additionally, disruptions like the situation in the Suez Canal and the rise of e-commerce have made the situation more challenging for the industry.
“With sea freight delays and increased freighter activity between Hong Kong, Shanghai, and other East Asian locations, many carriers are opting for east-west routes, which reduces the availability of north-south flights for flowers,” Van den Hoogen added.
This has forced exporters from African and Latin-American regions to explore new routes, pushing the flower industry toward alternatives like Liege Airport.
Liege Airport has been handling a growing volume of flower cargo in recent years. Van den Hoogen highlighted that on some days, the airport receives up to seven full freighters filled with flowers.
“Freighters can land 24/7, and the airport benefits from lower landing fees, fewer noise restrictions, and more available land and labor,” he said. These advantages suggest that Liege Airport could handle even more flower freight in the future.
However, Van den Hoogen pointed out that there is still room for improvement. “Liege’s infrastructure isn’t fully equipped to handle perishable products like flowers. The focus has been on speed, but that often comes at the expense of quality,” he noted.
He mentioned that flowers were stored in uncooled warehouses where temperatures exceeded 20 degrees Celsius, far from the ideal storage temperature of 1 degree.
Van den Hoogen believes that if the airport invests in proper cooling facilities, it could become a more attractive option for flower importers and exporters.
In addition to infrastructure improvements, Van den Hoogen suggested that the flower industry itself needs to adapt. “For too long, the industry has prioritized quantity over quality. Importers and exporters should not accept flowers stored at temperatures above 5 degrees Celsius,” he argued.
He also pointed to the U.S. market, where most flowers are dry-packed and cold-stored, resulting in a more efficient and higher-quality supply chain.
As Schiphol’s capacity for handling flower cargo continues to decline, Liege Airport presents a promising alternative for the industry. “Liege has the potential, and with the right investments, it could offer a robust cold chain that would benefit everyone involved,” Van den Hoogen concluded.
Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE.