LATAM Cargo targets Ecuador flower market with new US flights

LATAM Cargo has added a new service between North and South America to target blooming flower volumes in the region.

The new freighter service will operate between Ecuador, Brazil and the US, calling: Quito, Los Angeles, Houston, Manaus and Viracopos.

The service will initially operate twice weekly, but will increase to four rotations later this year when new freighters are added.

LATAM said that the service would focus on supporting the flower business out of Ecuador and adding Los Angeles as a new delivery point, to the existing ones of Miami and Amsterdam.

The call at Houston will support electrics and machine parts.

“In addition to Los Angeles, LATAM Cargo added Houston to its network, which will allow its customers to significantly reduce transportation times from the west coast and the southern region of the US to South America, benefiting the movement of industrial and electronic components, machinery, engines, auto parts, among others,” the carrier said in a press release.

Gudny Genskowsky, network director at LATAM Cargo, said: “At LATAM Cargo we are constantly reviewing our cargo itinerary in search of new opportunities that can benefit our customers.

“In this case, the inauguration of this route responds to an initiative that will allow us to offer more capacity and provide more options to be present in the most relevant markets.”

LATAM Cargo added that it had also strengthened its interline agreements to take advantage of the connectivity that Los Angeles Airport has with key markets in Asia.