There is a hum in the air during the summer for Air New Zealand Cargo, busy getting assorted goods to the world for a taste of New Zealand’s best.

Some of the items on Air New Zealand’s Cargo summer menu are -

• Around 2.5 million kilograms of Kiwi cherries to Asia markets in January – the equivalent of around 21 Boeing 787-9s.
• More than 1 million kilograms of New Zealand lamb up to the UK in time for Christmas
• Around 600,000 kilograms of blueberries to Australia in February and March
• More than 800,000 kilograms of capsicum into Japan and another 300,000 kilograms into Australia between December and March.

As well as produce, around 450,000 kilograms of mail will be going in and out of New Zealand this summer.

Air New Zealand General Manager Cargo Anna Palairet says at this time of year the airline’s cargo warehouse is a hive of activity.

“Our busy season runs from November through to March and between then, we have Christmas and the Chinese New Year where a lot of New Zealand produce is in high demand. It’s a great feeling knowing a little slice of New Zealand is on the summer menu in countries around the world, whether it’s the popular Kiwi cherry or fresh blueberries.

“This year, Cargo has played a big role in helping our export community maintain international trade links at a time when global supply chains were heavily disrupted. It’s also played a vital role in keeping our airline afloat when much of our passenger network hasn’t been operating.”