Flowers & plants via air freight to Turkey

Why flowers & plants by airfreight?

Cut flowers and plants have a shelf life of only a few days. Airfreight is not an option — it is the only option. Roses picked in Kenya on Monday must be in the auction in Aalsmeer by Wednesday. This is only possible via airfreight with a controlled cold chain.

The Netherlands is the world’s largest trading nation in cut flowers and Schiphol is the epicenter. Aircargo.nl has many years of experience with the specific requirements of flower transport: speed, cooling, phytosanitary documentation, and direct delivery to the auction.

Typical flower transport routes

• Kenya (roses, lilies) → Schiphol: multiple times per day
• Ecuador & Colombia (roses, chrysanthemums) → Schiphol via Miami or direct
• Ethiopia → Schiphol: growing cut flower sector
• Export Dutch flowers → US, Japan, Russia, China

Exporting to Turkey

Turkey is one of the Netherlands’ key trade partners just outside the EU. The country is part of a customs union with the EU for industrial products, which greatly simplifies import procedures. Schiphol operates multiple direct cargo flights daily to Istanbul (IST) via Turkish Cargo — the market leader in air freight. Cargo-to-cargo transit usually takes 4–6 hours.

Customs & Regulations

The EU-Turkey customs union applies to industrial products: Dutch goods in free circulation can be cleared duty-free with an A.TR certificate. This customs union does not apply to agricultural products — EUR.1 certificates or regular import duties apply here. For foodstuffs, cosmetics, and medical devices, TITCK and Tarim Bakanligi registrations are required.

Practical Tips

• A correct A.TR certificate is essential for duty-free clearance — verify this for every shipment
• Consider inflation-related exchange rate fluctuations when pricing
• Documentation in Turkish or English is acceptable — Turkish customs are largely digitized

Aircargo.nl works closely with Turkish Cargo and local agents in Istanbul to manage the complete documentation process — including A.TR and EUR.1 certificates — for optimal handling.

Points of attention for flower transport

Cold chain

Flowers must be kept between 2–8°C throughout the entire transport. Any temperature interruption accelerates the aging process and reduces shelf life for the end customer. Aircargo.nl works exclusively with certified cool-chain handlers at Schiphol.

Phytosanitary requirements

A phytosanitary certificate is mandatory for importing plants and cut flowers from countries outside the EU. This certificate is issued by the plant health authority of the exporting country and confirms that the shipment is free from pests. Aircargo.nl routinely checks and processes all phytosanitary documents.

CITES

Certain orchids and exotic plants fall under CITES protection and require a CITES permit. Always contact us if you are unsure about the CITES status of your products.