Air freight is the transport of goods via aircraft, whether commercial or chartered, to any destination paved for aircraft landing, air freight is the ideal solution for time-sensitive cargo, thus enabling small and medium enterprises to participate in international trade in an efficient and fast manner in addition to the high level of insurance enjoyed by shipments at the airport.
This article aims to simplify the concept of air freight for goods, discover its types and terminology, in addition to delving into its steps.
What are the types of air freight for goods?
The air freight market is divided into two main sectors, general air freight and postal air freight, each with its own characteristics:
General Air Freight
General air freight services are provided by international airlines of all kinds, such as Saudi Arabian Airlines, Emirates Airlines… etc., targeting shipments that do not require immediate transportation by mail.
Upon arrival at the destination airport, the shipment needs customs clearance services such as those provided by the border support company, in order to complete the procedures for clearing the goods at the customs office at the airport and for the shipment to go out to the importer, knowing that storing the goods for more than 24 hours at the shipping terminal incurs additional fees to the importer.
Postal Air Freight
It is provided by courier carriers such as FedEx and DHL, as the supplier agrees with the carrier to transport the shipment in a postal parcel and deliver it to the importer according to a “door to door” system, and the shipping price includes various transportation expenses except for import duties and commodity tax, and the supplier obtains a shipment tracking number, which he sends to the importer so that he can follow up on the status of shipment until receipt.
Air freight by mail tends to transport cargo weighing less than 20 kilograms internationally, but it also transports much larger shipments that are supposed to be delivered as quickly as possible, and some courier carriers use their own planes to transport goods from one country to another.
Factors that determine the cost of air freight
The cost of air freight of the goods depends on several factors as follows:
Weight and size
Weight is the actual weight of the cargo, volume is the space it occupies in the aircraft, and the cost of the shipment is related to the higher value of which, for example, if the goods are lightweight but large in size, the cost of air freight is calculated based on the volume, i.e. the space occupied by the cargo.
Arrival place
The cost of the air freight method depends mainly on the distance traveled by the aircraft between the supplier’s country and the importer’s country, and destinations that are not frequently served by airlines require a higher freight cost.
Shipment Type
The cost of shipping is also affected by the type of goods transported, as traditional goods cost less expensive than precious and dangerous goods.
Seasonal considerations
As in the air transport industry, air freight is affected by seasons, fuel prices and availability of flight capacity, so the cost of air freight rises in peak seasons, high demand rates and the price of fuel rises.
Air freight terminology
In air freight operations, a set of basic terms are repeated, the most important of which we highlight below:
- Air Waybill: It is the most important document in the air freight process for goods because it represents a contract between the supplier and the airline and is considered a receipt for the shipped goods, including the conditions of transport and all its controls, in addition to that it is used when tracking the shipment, as the bill of lading number should be entered on the airline’s website to see its location.
- Consolidation: Consolidating shipments means collecting more than one small shipment together into one larger shipment and sending them together to the same destination, airlines resort to merging shipments in order to reduce transportation costs and thus provide lower shipping rates for both the supplier and the importer, and the merger helps in more efficient transportation of goods due to the similarity of transportation requirements.
- Transit Time: This term refers to the time taken to transport goods from the airport of departure to the airport of destination only, and does not include the time taken for customs clearance or the procedures for the check-in process of the shipment to the airline.
Steps of air freight for goods
The smooth air freight process consists of five specific steps, the details of which are as follows:
- Booking
The air freight process of goods begins early when the supplier reserves with the airline a place for the shipped goods, and this step requires the preparation of documents such as the invoice, air waybill, and any required permits.
- Delivery of the goods at the airport of departure
This step is the first step in the actual shipment of the goods, as the shipment goes on the skis first before being transported to the plane, and the airline makes sure in this step that the goods are packed properly, checked and classified, and added their own labels that help in tracking them.
- Customs clearance
The shipment goes through the customs clearance stage, where it is inspected and made sure that it meets the legal requirements before take-off, and customs clearance services help in completing this stage quickly and easily.
- Loading on the plane
The airport authorities take over the equipment and labor of the cargo on the aircraft, and immediately after take-off the shipment can be easily tracked while in the air through the airline, whether by the supplier or the importer.
- Unloading at the destination airport
The shipment is unloaded at the destination airport immediately after the aircraft lands and then transported to the customs office for further examination, if the shipment meets all the requirements and clearance procedures, it is immediately removed from customs, and ready for final delivery to the importer.
Finally, Border Support Customs Clearance can help you identify the most efficient and cost-effective air freight routes and the easiest means of transportation to implement, contact us now to ensure your shipment has a fast arrival in the best condition.
