Kelowna International Airport is the first in Canada to promote cases of homegrown fruit.  
    

Kelowna International Airport is pioneering the concept of farm-fresh fruit packaged ready for domestic travellers leaving the Okanagan Valley. 
    

Airport director Sam Samaddar is enthusiastic about the “Farm to Flight” program which started with cherries in July and will continue with peaches, apples and pears in season.  Distributor De Simone Farms is coordinating the fruit deliveries from local growers, then making sure all regulatory requirements are met. Then the fruit is packaged in containers that will protect the fruit. 
    

“It’s about getting our brand out there, about the fruit products, and what the Okanagan’s all about,” Samaddar said.
    

Farm to Flight was launched in the airport about a month ago to get everything running smoothly, and Samaddar said everything has been so far, so good.
    

“It’s been selling very, very well. People are buying it. In fact, we could’ve sold the boxes that we had here today; we had to keep our passengers away from them,” he said.
    

The rates the fruit is sold at is set by their concession. Currently, two pounds of cherries are being sold for $10, while an individual cup to take on your flight runs at about $3.50.
    

The fruit is specifically packaged so it isn’t bruised or damaged during flights.