At Unifi UK, no two days are the same—but some days stand out more than others. That was certainly the case for Duty Manager Anthony Couzens and his team at London Stansted Airport, when they were called upon for a cleaning job unlike anything they’d done before: preparing a 747 cargo plane that had just transported 90 polo ponies from Buenos Aires to the UK.
Anthony, who has been with Unifi since the company took over operations in the UK, assembled a crew of eight team members to take on the unique challenge. While none of them had ever cleaned an aircraft used to transport animals, especially not in such large numbers, they approached the task with curiosity and professionalism.
Though Anthony has some personal experience with horses – he owns one himself and cares for three rescues – nothing quite prepared him for the sight of 90 horses being unloaded from the aircraft. “I’ve seen horses come in before, but not this many,” he said. “To see that many coming off an aircraft, it was definitely a bit of a shock.”
The horses, mostly younger polo ponies, were bound for well-known equestrian hubs in the UK, such as Newmarket and Surrey. They arrived in special transport containers that each held three to four horses and were unloaded by a separate ground handling company. Once the horses were safely off the plane, his team got to work.
“It was mostly straw, hay and the protective pads they put down to cover the aircraft floor,” Anthony said. “These pads are designed to absorb any mess, keeping the plane itself clean and protecting it during transport.”
The team removed the pads and completed a deep clean of the entire cargo area, making sure the aircraft was spotless and ready for its next assignment. It was a new kind of job for everyone involved, but one they embraced fully. “We’re used to cleaning aircraft and doing deep cleans, but not for cargo like this,” said Anthony. “Still, everyone got on with it and did a great job.”
Reflecting on the experience, Anthony called it the most unusual assignment he’s had since joining the airport team in 2019. “I’ve done a fair amount of different jobs, but this was definitely the most memorable,” he said with a laugh. “It was an eye-opener for sure, but I’m glad I was there to see it.”
This job is a perfect example of Unifi UK’s commitment to stepping up, adapting quickly and taking on any challenge with confidence and care. Whether it’s cleaning a standard passenger aircraft or responding to a last-minute call involving dozens of international equine guests, Unifi’s team proves that no task is too big—or too unusual—when you’ve got the right people on board.
