JOC Staff | May 13, 2011 9:15AM EDT
Spanish airline Iberia will start operating a 737 freighter between Madrid and Brussels in an upgrade to the carrier’s perishables “cool and fast” service.
The direct flight, starting June 1, will bring a closer connection between the major perishables gateway at Madrid Barajas Airport and the road and rail links to Northern Europe at Brussels Airport.
Adelantex, a perishables handing specialist at Brussels, said the all-cargo flight will link to Iberia’s connections out of South America. Iberia recently said it would spent $140 million to build a cargo terminal at the Madrid airport to focus on Latin American trade.
“This gateway will create possibilities as Latin-America is one of the leading continents exporting perishables into Europe," says Frank Van Gelder, general manager at Adelantex.
Cargo traffic at Brussels Airport grew 6 percent last year after a steep decline in recent years, but volume fell 12.2 percent year-over-year in March. Madrid's air cargo was up 23.3 percent last year and Iberia carries about half the freight that moves through the airport.