Speed is everything, when it comes to perishables – every minute saved, is a minute gained in shelf-life and saleable wares. And if you’re unhampered by congestion and blessed with great infrastructure, you’re in with a winning chance. But to actually perform up to twice as fast as your European peers, that is quite the badge of honor and a serious selling point when it comes to attracting new customers. No wonder, then, that Maastricht Aachen Airport (MST) published its findings last week, based on data it had collected over the course of 2025. A total of around 5,000 temperature measurements revealed that MST “is among Europe’s most efficient airports for handling perishable and sensitive goods”. By ‘most efficient’, it means pretty much acting at double the speed: “Data collected in 2025 shows that flowers entering Europe via MST reach their final destination in half the time, on average, compared to similar shipments travelling through other European airports”. The results showed that the average handling time required for flower shipments at MST, is around 3 hours. Other EU airports take between 3.5 to 6.5 hours for the same shipment types. “Even during peak periods, the Netherlands’ second-largest cargo airport achieves stable, short handling times of 2 to 4 hours. In comparison, the longest handling times at other European cargo airports range from 7 to 10 hours,” the release states, putting MST’s success down to its heavy investment, last year, in advanced monitoring technology to improve the quality and lifespan of the sensitive cargo passing through it. It also cites MST’s fortunate geographical location and direct access to the motorway for immediate onforwarding, which means that 4 out of 5 shipments make it to the Aalsmeer auction on the same day, before it closes.
Dean Boljuncic, Head of Commercial Development at Maastricht Aachen Airport, underlined: “Handling time is a decisive factor in the quality and shelf life of flowers. Every minute flowers are exposed to higher temperatures shortens their lifespan. This data shows that MST consistently needs less time to process delicate cargo, thereby reducing value loss across the supply chain. These results show that we are not only fast, but above all remarkably consistent. For perishables such as flowers, time is literally money. With these insights into the entire chain, we can reduce waste, increase quality, and offer our customers a reliable transport network.”
