1Know your temperature requirements. Acceptable tem- perature ranges differ for different product categories,
such as meats and seafood, fruits and vegetables, and flowers. Frozen products, for instance, may have to be kept at
temperatures below 0 degrees F, while fresh flowers, seafood, vegetables, and fruits typically travel at temperatures
between 36 and 46 degrees, according to Air France KLM
Martinair (AFKLM) Cargo. Some less-sensitive produce,
such as asparagus, pineapples, and avocadoes, may only
require protection from extreme temperature variations,
the airlines say.
Some airlines offer services that include temperature set-
tings specified by the shipper, while others only offer space
in a limited number of temperature ranges, which may
not exactly match the desired temperature for a particular
product, says Emma Wen, perishable export operations
leader, New York and Miami, for international freight for-
warder Apex Logistics International. That is not necessarily
a problem, because most perishable products have a tem-
perature tolerance that allows slight variances, she notes. In
addition, the right packing techniques can ensure proper
temps are maintained even if the ambient tem-
perature is a little higher or lower than the ideal.
Which temperature range would be appropriate
for a given shipment, however, is always the
shipper’s decision. As Wen says, “They know
their commodities best.”
2Keep logistics partners well informed. Many hands (and handoffs) are involved in any air
shipment. This can vary with the commodity,
but in addition to the shipper and the airline,
they may include a freight forwarder at the
origin, a customs broker at the destination, and
motor carriers and warehouses on both ends. All
play a role in maintaining temperature integrity,
so it’s critical that they be fully informed of the
shipment details. That includes the usual information, such as shipper, consignee, commodity,
origin, destination, weights, and dimensions,
of course. But each party that touches the shipment must also be aware of what temperature is
required, whether any variance is allowed, and
whether any special handling is needed before,
during, or after the flight. Documentation—
including shipment labeling and marking—
that makes temperature and special handling
requirements both clear and obvious is important too.
Shippers should also be sure to tell their freight forwarders what time constraints apply. “We need to know what
the maximum allowable total transit time is so we can help
the shipper find a suitable flight,” Wen says. “That will help
us decide whether a transfer will be OK or if it must be a
direct flight.”
3Take care in handling products before and after the flight. It’s important that everyone who handles perishables
shipments understand not only the handling requirements but also the consequences of failing to adhere to
them. Good sources of information include the Hazard
Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) international best-practices standard and the rules implementing the
U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which can be
found online. Both are designed to reduce food-safety risk
and include standards for safe handling, transportation,
and distribution of perishable foods. The International Air
Transport Association (IATA), which represents most of
