Maastricht Aachen Airport (MST), the Netherlands’ second-largest airfreight gateway, says it processes flower cargo up to twice the speed of other airports in Europe.
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.
Flower cargo at is handled in an average of 3 hours, compared to 3.5 and 6.5 hours at other airports. During peak periods, MST achieves handling times of 2-4 hours, whereas at other gateways this can increase to 7-10 hours.
Four firths of flower shipments via MST reach the Aalsmeer auction before closing on the same day.
MST invested in monitoring technologyin 2025 to improve the quality and lifespan of sensitive cargo passing through the Dutch cargo hub.
Head of commercial development, Dean Boljuncic, said: “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.”
