Cargo handling requires air shipping software. Air shipments are those made by aircraft. Air cargo management is a matter of paramount importance that every cargo management entrepreneur should be aware of. How do I ship my cargo by air? Are there some benefits to the customer? What kind of documentation is required? What are the limitations for this type of transport? Here are some of the frequently asked questions we’ll try to answer.
Aviation provides the world’s only transport network, making it essential for global business and tourism. It plays a vital role in facilitating economic growth, particularly in developing countries. The air transport industry generates a total of 29 million jobs worldwide.
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Report 2014.
Who make Air Shipments?
Cargo management companies offer several options for shipping cargo, depending on price and speed of delivery. Generally, customers prefer fast and secure service and then choose air shipping. Air shipping is available for almost every route in the world.
About 87 percent of business-to-consumer e-commerce (B2C) packages are currently transported by air. Today, the Pandemic has seen a significant increase in e-commerce. This, of course, has increased air shipments to stratospheric levels.
Why air shipments are important?
There is a certain type of perishable cargo that must be transported by air shipment. This is the case for some foods and medicines, such as Covit 19 vaccines. But there are also medical supplies for emergencies in hospitals, written press, flowers… Etc.
The use of air cargo can create competitive advantages. For example, producers will accept shorter order times if shipments that may experience delays in production or cargo clearance can be shipped by air. Similarly, manufacturers of clothing, electronics and other goods will compete for larger orders by sending the big initial order using ocean freight and then using air freight to replenish inventories if demand is higher than expected.
Differences between air and sea shipment.
The main difference between air shipments and other means of transport is the delivery time of the cargo. Times vary between two and three days. However, some companies offer pick-up and drop-off services within 24 hours. There are also cheaper delivery rates between 5 and 7 days.
How air shipments are made?
Once the exporter has requested the services of a cargo airline, and makes the reservation, the goods must be taken to the airport. Before boarding the aircraft, the authorities check the goods and request the necessary documentation.
Cargo handlers at the airport must ensure efficient and safe handling of cargo. When cargo volumes are quite small, a unique contract is used and the contractor must provide the appropriate equipment to load and unload the different types of aircraft.
Some problems may arise.
In many developing countries, the domestic carrier enjoys a monopoly, which presents a problem if the carrier is an inefficient state-owned enterprise. At other airports a private contractor maintains a monopoly, but performance is often regulated through productivity incentives. Since the possibility of discriminatory behaviour still exists, competition must be introduced as soon as there is sufficient cargo, or carriers should be allowed to handle their own cargo.
Many storage facilities at smaller and older airports are quite basic. This has little impact on cargo storage, as most cargo does not stay at airports. Exports are generally time sensitive and imports are high-value, fast-moving goods.
Documentation required for air shipments.
The exporter must have a packing list indicating the nature, weight and volume of the load. Air shipping software can do this automatically.
It is important to be aware of the documentation required for air shipments, i.e. MAster Guides (AWBs) and consolidation. The AWB, Air Waybill, or air freight letter is the main document in the air transport contract.
Not negotiable Air Waybill.
This document, unlike bill of lading, does not entitle you to the goods but does entitle you to claim it. It is generally nominative, therefore non-endorsable and non-negotiable. The document itself indicates this with the mention Not negotiable Air Waybill. It bears the signature of the carrier or its agent and a date of dispatch.
If the AWB is issued by a carrier instead of a regular airline, then the AWB is called House Air Waybill (HAWB)
The Master Air Waybill is issued by the airline and delivered to the carrier or consolidator. The air freight service issues a consolidated cargo certificate, indicating the consolidated and or carrier as a consignor and the de consolidator as consignee or recipient.
House Air Waybill is the document that accredits each individual shipment of a consolidated good. It is issued by the consolidator and/or carrier and contains instructions for the de consolidator agent.
How to fill out the air guide?
Some customs procedures for imports.
For imports, customs procedures are critical. Dispatch requires both the master invoice of the departure route, sent at the time the flight leaves, and the customs declaration, submitted by the brokers after the cargo had been shipped. In some countries, the airport customs authority uses the same procedures and systems as other international shuttle airports, and the incoming cargo can take up to a day to be cleared. In others, the procedures are adapted to the requirements of air cargo, with all transactions carried out electronically and the cargo cleared in one or two hours.
For exports, documents are presented at the time the cargo arrives at the airport, and inspection is carried out at the same time to unload within a few hours of arrival. Prior to X-ray scanners, a 24-hour cooling period was typically added to transit time, but this has been eliminated. Most scanners are for luggage and small packages, so the load must be unloaded from the truck loosely and scanned before being incorporated into pallets.
At larger airports with significant cargo traffic, full-palette scanners allow loaders to accumulate their pallets outside the airport and load them on the plane in a few hours.
What kind of cargo can be air shipped?
Air freight demand is limited by cost, typically 4 to 5 times that of road transport and 12 to 16 times that of shipping. Air freight fares typically range from $1.50 to $4.50 per kilogram, while the air cargo value typically exceeds $4.00 per kilogram.
Therefore, commodities shipped by air have high values per unit or are very sensitive to time, such as documents, pharmaceuticals, fashion items, production samples, electronic consumer products, perishable agricultural products and fish and shellfish. They also include some inputs to meet just-in-time production and emergency shipments of spare parts.
Demand for air freight exports has been limited to landlocked developing countries because most companies ship small volumes of low-value goods. The main exports shipped by air from developing countries are cut flowers, electronic parts and fresh fruits and vegetables. Air imports typically include high-value consumer goods. However, without significant departure flow, incoming air freight fares are higher, reducing the types and quantities of goods transported by air.
https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/transport/publication/air-freight-study
What about measures in air shipments?.
Before carrying the load to the company, a prevented customer can calculate the measures, to get an idea about the price to be paid. These are two measures to be taken. First of all we have the Physical Weight. The customer must know the physical weight (in pounds) of their packaging in pounds.
Secondly we have the Volumetric Weight, which is calculated using the formula:
Volumetric Weight = (Length x Height x Width) / 166.
Note: All measurements must be in inches.
Finally we have the so-called Appraisable Weight, which is the weight that determines the value of the shipment. It is calculated very simply: the appraisable weight is the largest between physical weight and volumetric weight. For example if the physical weight of your packaging is 16 Pounds and the volumetric weight of your packaging is 32 Pounds (calculated with the above formula), then the appraisable weight is 32 Pounds (the largest between volumetric weight and physical weight.)
Some limitations in the type of goods and weight.
The maximum measurements for shipments are:
Max height: 1580 mm., Max width: 2000 mm and Max length: 2000 mm.
If the goods exceed any of these three dimensions, it shall be considered as an oversized cargo, so the export shipment shall be quoted on a case-by-case basis in freighter. It is also important to determine whether the packages are stackable or not, to know the actual volume of the goods within the hold and thus know the price of air transport of goods.
Always, to send goods by air transport one has to be clear about the measures and declare them correctly. If there are any discrepancies it can lead to delay and variations in prices. However, when a commodity arrives at the airport it is always measured and weighed to verify that there are no differences with the invoice and packing list.
How to get Air shipment software?
In short you can purchase a new air shipping software, with these potentials, such as Trackingpremium.
