IAG Cargo, the cargo division of International Airlines Group, has safely delivered one of the largest dinosaurs to walk the Earth on a shipment from Buenos Aires to London Heathrow. The titanosaur Patagotitan mayorum is around the same length as a British Airways’ Airbus A320 aircraft or four double decker buses.
The Natural History Museum confirmed IAG Cargo as its official exhibition logistics partner for its upcoming exhibition Titanosaur: Life as the biggest dinosaur back in November 2022. Now on UK soil, this will be the first time the magnificent titanosaur will be displayed in Europe.
The dinosaur’s journey started in Trelow, Argentina, from where the cast travelled to Buenos Aires before it moved onto London. In Trelow, Argentina, Patagotitan was dismantled into more than 40 crates – to be flown in the bellyhold of two British Airways B787-9 passenger aircrafts. Upon landing at London Heathrow, the unique freight was transported to a special facility ahead of its journey to the Natural History Museum where it will be re-assembled ready for public display in March.
IAG Cargo has many years of experience in transporting high-value, unique and precious consignments via its dedicated ‘Secure’ product, ensuring total peace of mind when it comes to moving cargo like the awe-inspiring titanosaur.
John Cheetham, Chief Commercial Officer at IAG Cargo commented: “It is a privilege to partner with the Natural History Museum as the custodian of some of the world’s most important scientific artefacts. I want to thank our teams in Argentina and the UK who made this colossal task of transporting a 37-metre dinosaur a reality.”
Alex Burch, Director of Public Programmes at the Natural History Museum commented: “We’re pleased to have IAG Cargo as our exhibition logistics partner on this exhibition. As one of the largest dinosaurs to ever roam the Earth, it is so important that we are able to showcase this cast to the public, connecting our visitors with nature and inspiring them to care for the large animals we share the planet with today.”
British Airways’ Captain Simon Boswell, said: “I and the entire team felt honoured and privileged to fly this unique artefact from Argentina to the UK, and it was really very special to have been able to carry this precious cargo on a British Airways’ aircraft. Working with our sister company IAG Cargo, we’re delighted to have been able to play our part in its safe onward journey.”
The Natural History Museum is both a world-leading science research centre and the most-visited indoor attraction in the UK. With a vision of a future in which both people and the planet thrive, it is uniquely positioned to be a powerful champion for balancing humanity’s needs with those of the natural world.
It is custodian of one of the world’s most important scientific collections comprising over 80 million specimens accessed by researchers from all over the world both in person and via over 30 billion digital data downloads to date. The Museum’s 350 scientists are finding solutions to the planetary emergency from biodiversity loss through to the sustainable extraction of natural resources.
The Museum uses its global reach and influence to meet its mission to create advocates for the planet – to inform, inspire and empower everyone to make a difference for nature. We welcome millions of visitors through our doors each year, our website has had 17 million visits in the last year and our touring exhibitions have been seen by around 20 million people in the last 10 years.
IAG Cargo is the single business created following the merger of British Airways World Cargo and Iberia Cargo in April 2011. Following the integration of additional airlines into the business, including Aer Lingus, Vueling and bmi, IAG Cargo now covers a global network. In 2021, IAG Cargo had a commercial revenue of €1,673 million. It has a combined workforce of more than 2,250 people. Its parent company, International Airlines Group, is one of the world’s largest airline groups with 531 aircraft at 31st December 2021. It is the third largest group in Europe and the sixth largest in the world, based on revenue.
