Export flowers represent 89% of the cargo transported at the Quito airport

The highest season for the transfer of export products at the Mariscal Sucre airport in Quito is prior to Valentine’s Day and Women’s Day. This year the arrival of flowers, the product with the most sales abroad during the year, began on January 23.

During 2022, more than 290,000 tons of cargo in export products left the capital airport, flowers being 89% of the total.

This compared to 2021, when 281,000 tons were transported, meant an increase of approximately 3%.

For this season they plan to move some 22,000 metric tons only during the days before Valentine’s Day.

This gradual increase has allowed the airport terminal to be ranked among the top five in flower cargo worldwide.

For Katya Bastidas, manager of the Metropolitan Public Airport Services Company (EPMSA), this gradual growth is due to the agility in cargo consolidation and shipment.

Also, due to the security provided by the airport for the exit and entry of products.

Quito moves 90% of the country’s air cargo and the terminal captures new operations

Once the flowers are collected and transferred to the consolidating company, shipment groups are carried out that are transported by trucks to the loading terminal.

In this place they go through security filters. Here the palletizing begins, some large towers of boxes with flowers are formed in this place, and they are sent to the cold rooms, where they rest until their next destination.

The airlines arrive at the terminal and prepare to receive their cargo. Once their dispatch is confirmed, the flower towers are transported to the airport runway on a vehicle that will take them to the plane.

During this high season, there are 30 airlines that arrive at the terminal and transfer to different countries. Among the main destinations are the United States, Russia, Belarus and the Netherlands.

passenger transport

During 2022, 4,341,130 passengers moved through the airport located in Tababela, in the northeast of Quito. This total is given between domestic and international flights.

This meant an increase of 84% compared to 2021, in which a total of 2,353,921 passengers were transferred.

Spanish company will intervene in the Quito airport business line, according to the Superintendency

From EPMSA they reported that despite the fact that the pandemic hit the transfer of passengers, they are currently on an accelerated path to exceed the pre-pandemic figures (2019).

In 2022 they closed with 13 airlines traveling to 14 destinations. Direct routes to San José de Costa Rica, Buenos Aires, Bogotá and Miami were increased. (YO)