IAG Cargo has carried the Airbus-sized cast of one of the largest-ever dinosaurs from Buenos Aires to London for its first-ever European exhibition.
The dinosaur, known as titanosaur Patagotitan mayorum, is around the same length as a British Airways’ Airbus A320 aircraft or four double decker buses, according to IAG Cargo, which flew a cast of the extinct beast to London Heathrow ahead of it going on display at the UK’s Natural History Museum.
The cast was dismantled into more than 40 crates and flown in bellyhold of two British Airways B787-9 passenger aircraft, before being taken on to the museum for reassembly ahead of going on display in March 2023.
“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,” said John Cheetham, chief commercial officer at IAG Cargo.
“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,” said Alex Burch, director of public programmes at the Natural History Museum.