IAG Cargo has ramped up its operations which it says has been done to “ensure its customers can ship their goods in time for the Christmas holiday season”.

The carrier says the countdown is on, as the last maritime shipments capable of getting goods to market in time for the festive season have now departed.

IAG says the peak cargo period has begun and is expected to continue throughout November and December and customers will be relying upon airfreight more than ever to ensure the shelves are stocked in time for the season’s festivities.

IAG has enhanced its operations for the holiday period by providing its customers with 2000 new same day connections through its Heathrow Airport hub to enable more last minute movements.

it has also increased capacity at its Premia cargo handling facility to accommodate the expected rise in small packages shipments driven by e-commerce.

The carrier has added eight new secure trucks at Heathrow to assist with last-minute high-value shipments.

IAG Cargo head of commercial, David Shepherd says: “The holiday season has evolved dramatically over the last decade, with new key dates becoming huge commercial opportunities for retailers.

“Black Friday has crossed both the Atlantic and Pacific and is now a key shopping date around the world, with Cyber Monday also gaining traction.

“The last maritime shipments able to get goods to market before the Holiday Peak have already departed and with consumers purchasing more last minute goods, the restocking challenge will be greater than ever.

“Cyber Monday, which was 2014s busiest online shopping date, falls on November 30 this year and airfreight will play a crucial role in ensuring that orders are fulfilled.

“In terms of tonnage flown, we predict our busiest days to be the first two weekends in December, during which time, IAG Cargo is expecting to see a daily increase of up to 30 per cent in volumes flown compared to on an average day.”

Shepherd continues: “When it comes to the festive period, flights from the Asian manufacturing hub are critical. We currently have 24 flights a day out of Asia, connecting manufacturers in the region to the 350 destinations on our global network, including the key markets of Europe and North America.

“IAG Cargo is therefore an ideal partner for businesses as they ramp up production to meet the increase in demand at this time of year.”