Flowers & plants air freight from Thailand to Germany

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 Thailand

Thailand is one of the most dynamic economies in Southeast Asia and an important market for Dutch machinery, automotive parts, agri-technology, pharmaceuticals, and high-tech products. Schiphol offers direct cargo flights to Bangkok (BKK) via Thai Airways Cargo and KLM Cargo. Cargo-to-cargo transit time is generally 11–14 hours.

Customs & Regulations

Thai Customs operates with the e-Customs (NSW) system and is largely digitalized. Most shipments require a commercial invoice, packing list, and—depending on the type of goods—an import license. Food products, cosmetics, and medical devices require prior FDA Thailand registration. Electrical products must comply with TISI certification requirements.

Practical Tips

• Always work with a registered Thai importer—clearing is not possible without a Thai business number
• FDA Thailand registration can take several weeks—plan well in advance
• Be mindful of Songkran (April) and King’s Day periods, during which processing is paused

Aircargo.nl works with fixed agents in Bangkok and handles the complete documentation chain—including FDA coordination—to ensure smooth processing.

Importing from Germany

Importing from Germany by air freight is relatively rare—most goods move by road or rail. When air freight is desirable, it typically involves urgent machine parts, medical equipment, or time-critical industrial components. As an EU country, customs clearance isn't required and shipments are processed quickly.

Aircargo.nl also handles reverse logistics from Germany: returns, repairs, or goods sent back that need to be returned quickly to origin or redirected to another destination.

Thailand as a Crosstrade Hub

Bangkok (BKK) is one of the largest cargo hubs in Southeast Asia and a natural node for crosstrades within the region (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar). Schiphol regularly routes shipments to BKK via Thai Airways Cargo, KLM Cargo, and Lufthansa Cargo for further distribution within ASEAN.

Aircargo.nl maintains agent relationships in Bangkok and can coordinate crosstrade shipments—including Thai customs clearance and transit documentation—without the shipment needing to touch Dutch soil.

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.