Another flight's taken off from Christchurch carrying 100 tonnes of high value goods like cherries and crayfish, bound for Asia.
It’s one of many extra flights on to get our top produce over there before the Chinese New Year.
The Boeing 777, bound for Taipei, is one of eight extra freight flights out of Christchurch this month.
Christchurch Airport chief executive Justin Watson says it’s a peak period for exports.
“This is a huge boost for South Island exporters, getting their product out to these key markets is absolutely critical and a lot of this product is going to meet the Chinese New Year,” he says.
With the aviation industry still scaling back up to pre-Covid levels, finding space to transport the cargo has been difficult.
“Generally 90% of freight goes in the belly hold of passenger aircraft, passenger aircraft are only back to about 60% so there's a shortage of capacity and so what we've got here is dedicated freighters,” Watson says.
In total the services will transport 800 tonnes of high value exports including live lobsters, oysters and fresh cherries.
Craig Hall, Chairman of Summerfruit exporters, says the extra flights have been a big help.
“It's given the industry way more flexibility with the volume that it can get away regularly,” he says.
The cargo’s processed at Mainfreight’s facility.
It’s stored at zero degrees to maintain freshness and can arrive anywhere between 48 hours and six hours prior to the plane departing.
And Hall says a Christchurch departure means it hits the market sooner.
“We've had to use Auckland a lot more over the last couple of years and that has meant we've had to truck fruit for another 24 to 48 hours from Central Otago to Auckland.”
Once the plane lands the cargo moves quickly across Asia.
Mainfreight’s Jason McFadden says although flight lands in Taipei the cargo ends up in many other Asian destinations.
“So basically from being picked to consumers tables it can be from 48 hours to a week or so.”
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