Perishables and Temperature Controlled Cargo

What temperature controlled air freight covers

This service handles cargo that must stay within a defined temperature range throughout its journey: fresh food and flowers, vaccines and other pharmaceuticals, biological samples and other life science shipments. Unlike general cargo, the risk is not just damage or delay but loss of the product's usability if the temperature excursion is significant enough.

Every shipment is planned around the product's specific requirement, whether that is a tight two-to-eight degree pharmaceutical range, a frozen chain for certain foods, or a cool but not frozen range typical of fresh flowers and some fruit and vegetables.

Cargo types and their specific needs

Fresh food and flowers generally need protection from heat and, in the case of flowers, from excessive cold as well, alongside fast transit since shelf life is limited from the moment of harvest or cutting. Pharmaceuticals and vaccines often require a narrow, closely monitored temperature band with documented proof that the range was maintained throughout, since regulatory approval can depend on that evidence.

Biological samples and clinical trial materials add a further layer of care, frequently needing dry ice replenishment, chain-of-custody documentation and, in some cases, licensed handling for the specific biological material being transported.

• Fresh food, seafood and cut flowers
• Vaccines and other temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals
• Biological samples and clinical trial materials
• Chilled and frozen goods requiring a continuous cool chain

Airport selection and pre-cooling

We book through stations equipped with cool chain facilities rather than the nearest or cheapest airport by default, since a facility without proper cold storage can leave a shipment sitting at ambient temperature during a transfer or wait for the flight. Handling agents are pre-advised of the shipment's specific requirement before it arrives, so cold storage or airside pre-cooling is ready rather than arranged on the spot.

Pre-cooling the cargo before it is even loaded reduces the temperature swing during ground handling, and for some pharmaceutical shipments this step is built into the standard operating procedure rather than treated as an optional extra.

Packaging: active versus passive systems

Passive packaging uses insulated containers, gel packs or dry ice to maintain temperature without any powered element, and is generally cheaper and simpler for shorter transits or less critical products. Active packaging uses a powered refrigeration or heating unit built into the container, holding a precise temperature for longer and over longer transits, at a higher cost.

We recommend the packaging type based on the product's sensitivity, the transit time and the number of transfers involved, since a longer or more complex routing increases the risk that passive packaging alone will not hold the required range for the full journey.

Documentation and licensing requirements

Health certificates, phytosanitary certificates for plant and food products, and export licences for certain pharmaceuticals and biological materials all need to travel with the shipment, and missing paperwork is one of the most common reasons a temperature-sensitive consignment sits on the ground losing shelf life or temperature stability.

We confirm the exact documentation needed for your specific product and destination before collection, since requirements vary considerably by country and by product category, and leave enough time before the flight to have any certificate issued rather than chasing it after booking.

Monitoring, pricing and transit times

Data loggers can be added to record temperature throughout the journey, producing an excursion report that shows whether the range was held, which is often a contractual or regulatory requirement for pharmaceutical shipments. Dry ice replenishment can be arranged at transfer points on longer routings where a single load would not last the full journey.

Pricing reflects the packaging type, any data logger and monitoring service, airport handling fees for cool chain facilities, and the freight rate itself, which is usually higher than standard air cargo given the specialist handling involved. Transit times are kept as short as possible by design, often using direct flights even where a slightly cheaper routing with a transfer is available, because every additional handling point adds risk to the cool chain.

Insurance, common mistakes and destination handling

Cargo insurance for perishables and pharmaceuticals should reflect not just physical loss but spoilage from a temperature excursion, and we can arrange cover that responds to both. The most common mistakes are underestimating how long ground handling and customs clearance will take relative to the product's remaining shelf life, and packaging for the average transit time rather than the worst realistic case including a delay.

At destination, the handling agent is briefed in advance to have cold storage or a refrigerated vehicle ready at the moment of arrival, minimising the time the shipment spends at ambient temperature before customs clearance and final delivery are complete.