Qatar Airways Cargo has introduced a direct freighter service from Colombia’s capital Bogotá to Texas in the United States using its Boeing 777 freighter.

The once-a-week service departs on Mondays from Bogota and flies to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). The freight service will offer close to 100 tonnes of cargo capacity for transporting perishables like flowers, fruits, vegetables and coffee, as well as live animals, machinery and other general cargo destined for DFW.

John Ackerman, EVP of global strategy and development at DFW, said the route adds a vital link to South American markets and will strengthen the air hub’s ability to flow goods between Latin America and Asia.

“Qatar’s service direct from Bogota to DFW reduces transit times for high-quality perishable goods by two to three days, extending shelf life for retailers and providing fresher products for consumers,” Ackerman noted.