Complete Logistics Solutions
info@winteam.co.in
+91 9960 1452 96- +91 022 6741 1330 / 32 / 33
info@winteam.co.in +91 9960 1452 96 +91 022 6741 1330 / 32 / 33
WINETAM AIR division offers professional guidance and fast services for movement of all your air cargo requirements. Along with the air freight, we provide Ex-work services, door delivery and third country services with help of our agency network worldwide. We are also started our Air Console which we are successfully handling currently from China to India and looking forward to develop the same globally.
Air freight is another term for air cargo that is, the shipment of goods through an air carrier. Air transport services are the most valuable when it comes to moving express shipments around the globe. Just like the commercial or passenger airlines, air freight flies in the same gateways.
When your goods need to be moved quickly, air freight is the best solution compared to sea freight or road transport, no doubt about it (after space travel, that is).
The arrival and departure times of flights are highly reliable, as airlines tend to be very on top of their schedules. Even missing a flight wouldn’t cause much delay as there are usually flights departing every hour.
Many airlines have a large network of destinations that covers almost the entire world. This means that you can send the shipment to nearly every destination.
As the transportation time for air cargo is comparatively short, the insurance premium is lower. Even if air freight can be expensive, this brings about savings in terms of lower insurance costs.
Shipping by air offers the advantage of a high level of security, as the airport safety controls over cargo are tightly managed. Tightly managed airport controls also reduce the cargo exposure to theft and damage.
With the quicker transit times of air freight, you have less need for local warehousing and do not need to keep items in stock. Customs clearance, cargo inspection and cargo handlers are more efficient, as most cargo is cleared within a matter of hours.
Normally, air shipments require less heavy packing than for example ocean shipments. This means that you save both time and money to provide service for additional packing.
Once you’ve decided that air freight is right for you, you need to talk and negotiate with your overseas suppliers to ensure they can comply with air transport requirements. Air freight is a two-way transaction, so you’ll need to get your supplier onboard if air freight is your transport of choice.
Source the right supplier: do your market research to find the best supplier out there for your business. Our guide on choosing the right international suppliers can help you do this.
Decide on Incoterms: the “incoterms” are the international commercial terms governing the allocation of risk throughout your shipment. You’ll need to choose the term that best suits your interests, whilst also striking the right balance with your supplier. Read our Beginner’s Guide to Incoterms for more information.
Engage a freight forwarder: your freight forwarder can liaise directly with your suppliers. We here at ICE have dedicated overseas partners who can speak to your suppliers on your behalf and represent your commercial interests.
Provide commercial documents: yes, unfortunately in shipping, there is a lot of documentation. Air freight is no exception. Your freight forwarder can handle all the documentation with your suppliers to ensure your transaction doesn’t run into any unexpected costs and delays.
However, if you are determined that air freight is the right option for your business you will want to ensure it is providing your business with the maximum possible benefits. As an alternative, there are two main options to consider: ocean freight and air-sea solutions (the latter being a mixture between air freight and sea freight).
Air freight is much quicker than sea freight, but it’s typically more expensive. By contrast, ocean freight may be cheaper but there is a greater risk of delay.
Before you sign any documentation with your supplier, make sure you understand how air freight works and the impact of using air freight to transport your cargo.
This includes doing some research into:
How volumetric ratios work: When shipping cargo via aircraft, you don’t just pay for the kilograms of your airfreight shipment if your cargo takes up a large area of the aircraft. We have a handy calculator to work out your chargeable weight which you can download from our volumetric ratios blog.
Air freight containers: Cargo can be shipped in a unit load device (ULD), as a palletised shipment or as loose cargo when shipping via air freight. There are a range of restrictions based on the height, length and width of your cargo. You can refer to our airfreight container guide at the bottom of this page for more information.
Airfreight security regulations: define that your cargo needs to be examined prior to export (which is mandatory). This can be at a Piece-level examination – this means each individual box, carton or other item; Consolidated form – homogeneous cargo packed on pallets, boxes stacked and wrapped in plastic or in unit load devices (ULDs); or as an approved Known Consignor – air cargo originating from these companies does not require further examination prior to uplift onto an aircraft.
As a general example, if your cargo is palletised, it will need to fit within the following dimensions to go through an x-ray machine: 1.20m x 1.20m x 1.53m LWH, max 1000kg CW per pallet. It is critical that cargo screening through a metal detector is on plastic or cardboard pallets, as wooden pallets will likely have nails. If pallets need to be repacked, exporters will bear this cost. You can read more about air cargo examinations here.
The next step is to pack your cargo and book your freight. Ensure that when you do this, you:
Speak: to your forwarder about any restrictions applicable to the aircraft. Your cargo will obviously need to fit in the aircraft and be available for X-ray!
Compare: different services. There are many available options and routes for airfreight around the world. This was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced many businesses to adapt and think of new ways to transport goods across the world as air freight options became limited.
Choose: the right route. Usually, you can choose between different airlines offering different routing and transit times. Think of it as booking a flight for yourself. After all, 80% of air cargo in Australia arrives on passenger aircraft. You’ll need to make sure the route is correct for you and offers you the best price versus transit time.
Once your cargo is packed and your freight is booked, it’s time for your freight forwarder to arrange your shipment. If you are importing into Australia, your supplier will need to prepare the following documents:
Commercial Invoice: one the most important documents in shipping. The commercial invoice outlines the items being purchased and from whom, and the terms and conditions between buyer and seller.
Packing list: shows the details of the cargo, including how it is packed.
Certificate of origin: if your import is from a “free trade” country (i.e., a country with which Australia has a free trade agreement), this certificate will need to be prepared to avoid paying unnecessary duty charges.
if your import is from a “free trade” country (i.e., a country with which Australia has a free trade agreement), this certificate will need to be prepared to avoid paying unnecessary duty charges.
Dangerous goods forms: if a supplier is shipping dangerous goods as classified by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) or the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), they will be required to fill out and include relevant dangerous goods forms.
Once your flight is booked, an airway bill will be produced to outline the service and contract of carriage. The goods will then travel on designated services and can usually be tracked online through your freight forwarder.
On arrival, your cargo will move through many stages
During transit, we here at ICE will commence customs clearance so your goods can arrive in Australia with all duties and GST paid.
Following this, when the cargo lands, your goods will be moved to a CTO or cargo terminal operator. CTOs have obligations under customs legislation to ensure the security of the cargo terminal and goods subject to customs control. The CTO will segregate the cargo ready for collection.
If arranged on a Master Airway Bill
A “Master Airway Bill” (or a MAWB) refers to an airway bill that is issued for all goods covered by one or more “house” airway bills (or a HAWB, which simply means an airway bill issued by a freight handler acting as carrier).
If you’ve arranged your shipment through a MAWB, the goods will probably be consolidated (i.e. different shipments grouped together). On arrival, the cargo will then be moved to a Customs Bond facility for deconsolidation. Deconsolidation means that the aircraft cargo will be taken apart and each consignment will be separated according to the final destination.
At the bonded facility, customs are informed that the cargo has arrived by issuing an outturn report, which outlines the details of air cargo that has arrived in Australia and has been discharged from an aircraft. Each consignment received must be outturned.
If arranged on a direct airway bill
A direct airway bill (or a DAWB) is a bill of lading issued where freight is transported on the airline without a HAWB.
Direct shipments are generally used when freight and service needs are immediate. Freight will not be consolidated with other cargo. The goods can then be collected directly from the CTO and do not require deconsolidation.
Once goods are customs cleared and outturned, a transport operator will collect the cargo and deliver it to your final destination
It’s important to know in advance if the final delivery point will unload the cargo themselves, or if they need a tail lift truck for delivery.
A tail lift is a mechanical device permanently installed on the rear of a work truck, van, or lorry, and is designed to facilitate the handling of goods from ground level or a loading dock to the level of the vehicle bed, or vice versa.
It’s also useful to know the delivery point’s opening hours to ensure cargo can be delivered within your timeframe.
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