In a calmer moment amid the hustle and bustle of Bahrain International Airshow, few delegates sitting down to lunch are likely to have questioned where the flowers adorning their tables came from – with aviation playing an essential link in their journey to the table.
A significant amount of the flowers imported into the Kingdom of Bahrain are transported via air from Nairobi, explained a pilot onboard the DHL Bahrain's Boeing 767-300, which was positioned in yesterday from Kuwait. Nicknamed the 'Cadillac' by today's flight crew for the type's wide cockpit (a total of 4.72m), the varied cargo carried by DHL Bahrain underscores the importance of air freight – and its ongoing value to the region.
Differentiations typically exist among the types of cargo imported from various regions. While cargo inbound from Pakistan often includes meat and fruit, an aircraft returning from Africa often "smells fantastic" with the fragrance of flowers, fruit, and avocados. DHL Bahrain's two longest routes – to Hong Kong and Singapore – usually serve a bustling e-commerce market (including pallet-loads of electronic devices), while "seven tons of onions", and "several tons of fish and chocolate" (thankfully, not stored directly alongside) also feature on the memorable list of curious cargo holds.
Read more at Aerospace Global News