AIRPORTS in Vancouver and in Seattle across the border have been busy in recent weeks getting the cherry crop to world markets, reports Atlanta area Air Cargo World.

"The charters are coming in empty and filling total loads," said Tom Green, air cargo manager at Seattle's Sea-Tac International Airport.

Said Air Canada regional cargo manager Keola Pang-Ching: "We've been able to maximise dedicated reefer trucks out of Seattle connecting into our gateways in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal."

The last cherry will be picked in a few weeks of what many think is the second biggest crop on record, running ahead of forecasts and is much bigger than last year's, which was hit by bad weather.

It has been a bonanza for air carriers with freighters and those who only carry the sweet fruit. Eight carriers with freighters have flown cherries from Seattle, in addition to bellyholds filling passenger aircraft.

China Eastern and Nippon Cargo have added weekly charters. Polar Air Cargo has three weekly charters. EVA has added three weekly flights, Asiana has added two and China Airlines has added six and Korean Air, five weekly flights.

Delta mostly moves fruit to China and Japan. As the season has progresses, it flies cherries to Europe and Australia and will continue through September.

Delta said its cherry business has more than doubled year on year. The airline operates 10 daily wide-body flights from Seattle, including a recent expansion of its Asian schedule that has added Hong Kong, Seoul and Tokyo-Haneda.

Air Canada said the addition of five more 777-300ERs, Air Canada's offers greater network capacity from Vancouver to Hong Kong, Tokyo-Narita, Incheon, Beijing and Shanghai and the only non-stop flights Sydney.