Air Freight Shipping: Fast & Secure Global Solutions

Advancements in aviation technology over the past century have increased modern aircraft’s capacity to carry enormous loads on a single trip. Real-time tracking of the package is now possible because of advanced tracking systems, significantly increasing the transparency and accessibility of shipping.

Air Freight Shipping – Supply chain’s Backbone of the Global Economy

Air freight shipping has made world trade easier. It is a quick method of transporting goods from one continent to the other. Businesses use international air freight shipping to deliver their time-sensitive and valuable products. eCommerce sellers can minimise delivery time, obtain control over inventory, and quickly adapt to market trends with quick international shipping.

International Air Freight: Leading the World Economy

International air freight helps in linking businesses to global markets. Business expansion in the international market boosts economic development and promotes the exchange of products and services. Air freight shipping remains popular in fashion, electronics, and medicine industries because it involves faster transit durations and minimum transit hazards.

How does Technology affect Air Freight Shipment?

Several technologies have been developed and adopted in air freight shipments. Currently, most airlifts can carry greater quantities in a single trip. Real-time tracking systems with innovative features have made it very convenient for businesses to satisfy their customers with transparency and efficient shipments. Air transport helps businesses cut the cost of holding inventories since air travel is fast and reliable. Even though air freight is more expensive than other modes of transportation, its advantages overrule the cost, especially for products requiring faster delivery.

What is Air freight?

The transfer and transportation of products by air, whether commercial or charter, is known as air freight package delivery. When shipping or moving products quickly across the border, airfreight is the most efficient mode of transportation. Two types of freight are transported via air, general and special.

• General cargo: High-value items, including jewellery, electronics, and medications, are included in general cargo. Even though air shipping costs more than sea shipping, it is still the most cost-effective way to ship valuable and delicate items.
• Special cargo: This cargo delivers items that require special handling in controlled air and temperature conditions, such as hazardous materials or livestock.

Air Freight Shipments and Security

Several measures, like cargo screening technologies, secured storage areas, and restricted access controls, are taken to provide security for air freight shipments, especially for high-value products. These measures help safeguard the goods till the products reach the end consumer.

Air Freight Shipments- Balance between speed and cost

Air freight shipping is known to be time-conscious and reliable compared to the other modes of transport; however, it is more expensive. Air freight shipping must be carefully planned by analysing three key factors:

• Value of the product
• Time of delivery
• Cost of shipping

International shipping by air freight

International air freight is a method of transporting commodities by air, sea, and land between different locations. The process of shipping via air freight can be explained in the following steps:

• Booking in advance: You must reserve a freight forwarder and an aircraft seat well in advance for your shipment. A trustworthy freight forwarder offers all important information on the shipping process.
• Decide the storage requirement: The storage requirements for air transporters must be determined. They can be unit load device dimensions or the IATA Cargo handling manual.
• Know the difference: You must understand the fundamental distinction between charged, net, and gross weight.
  • Net weight: The sum of the actual cargo’s weight, excluding any packaging material, is the net weight. For example, you are shipping three books to your customer. The total weight of the books is 4 kg. Use an appropriate weighing scale to measure accurately.
  • Gross weight: The sum of the cargo, pallet, or container weights is the gross weight. This includes the weight of all the packaging material used to deliver your products safely. For example, your package includes bubble wrap, tape, and a sturdy box. The gross weight of your package is 6kg (4 kg for the books + 2 kg for the packaging material used).
  • Chargeable weight: Chargeable weight is found by comparing the gross weight and volumetric weight of the package. The volumetric or dimensional weight is used to find the total space required for your package in the aircraft. It can be calculated by multiplying the package’s length, width, and height and dividing by a specified divider set by the aircraft. The high value between gross weight and volumetric weight becomes the final chargeable weight for the air freight shipment.
• Labelling and airway bill: The freight forwarder and the shipper produce and confirm a draught airway bill that includes all the information on the goods, the shipper and destination, and the flight schedule. There are several types of airway bills, like house airway bill, neutral airway bill, master airway bill, and e-airway bill, each with a unique arrangement process.
• Custom Clearance: Customs officials and other regulatory bodies with export controls over the shipment examine the air freight. Customs officials check if the shipment’s dimensions, weight, and description are accurate.
• Unloading of shipment: The cargo is placed into the ULD and stored in the airplane fuselage once all the arrangements are made. The carrier will issue an airway bill after confirming the carriage agreement,.
• Customs Clearance at the destination: Clearing import customs is necessary; the invoice, packing list, airway bill, and any ancillary paperwork and permissions are given to customs for verification and inspection. Based on a product’s tariff code, also known as the Harmonized System Code (HS Code), import duty and tax will be applied, and the money will be collected from designated agents on behalf of the consignee.
• Delivering the shipment: The package is transported by road to the consignee’s door after the customs clearing process is complete.

Calculation of Air freight

The concepts of air freight logistics, such as gross weight, volumetric/dimensional weight, and DIM factor, must be understood to compute air freight.

• Determining the gross weight for air freight

An item’s entire weight, including the box and pallet, is its gross weight. If your goods weigh 60 kg and the packing, pallet, and other accessories weigh 20 kg, then the total gross weight of your freight would be 60 kg + 20 kg = 80 kg.

• Air freight volumetric weight computation

The carrier may suffer losses if the cost of the cargo is determined based on its gross weight—the package may be large but light in weight. Consequently, the volumetric or dimensional weight of the package is measured by multiplying the CBM value of the item by the appropriate DIM factor.

Your cargo, for instance, has dimensions of 1.5 m in length, 2 m in width, and 1.5 m in height. To get the volumetric weight for air freight, use the formula 1.5X 2 X 1.5 = 4.5 CBM. For air freight, the DIM factor is 167, meaning that 1 CBM is equivalent to 167 kg. Consequently, the shipment would weigh 4.5*167 = 751.5 kg.

• Chargeable weight calculation for air freight

The chargeable weight is determined by comparing the gross and volumetric weight data and using the larger value. For instance, your delivery weighs 80 kg in gross weight. The volumetric weight, however, is 751.5 kg. As a result, the carrier will assess a fee for your shipment depending on its volumetric weight.

Why choosing air freight is a better option?

The decision between air freight services and sea freight is not simple. It is particularly challenging for people unfamiliar with international shipping or with little prior experience with either method of transportation. Even though each approach poses advantages and disadvantages, you should choose depending on your primary needs.

Shippers choose air freight services if time is essential as it is linked with quick transit and express shipment. Air freight is preferred by shippers that want to have a quick TAT and have a low inventory. Apart from this, there are a few other reasons why air freight service is preferred over sea freight:

• Prompt Shipping: Air freight services are preferred when the shipper needs his items delivered promptly. It is one of the fastest solutions when there is a great distance between the origin and the destination and little time is available.
• On-time delivery: Air freight logistics is the go-to for on-time delivery of products, regardless of the destination. One may rely on the delivery periods given by the carrier or the freight forwarder. Air carriers seldom modify their schedules at the last minute unless there is an emergency or a change in government plans, like during the pandemic.
• Easy to Track: Given the set flight schedules, air freight logistics allow you to follow your products from the moment they leave until they are delivered. You can track your shipments during transit with ShiprocketX.
• Security of Cargo: Compared to sea and road freight, there are fewer places where items are handled in air freight, which reduces the danger of loss, theft, or damage to the cargo. Additionally, airports have strong safety regulations and expedited clearance procedures, so air freight is a more secure alternative for freight shipment.
• Global Access: Air freight provides door-to-door connectivity. Airports are present in almost every part of the world; products can be transported from one location to another in the shortest time possible. This is particularly useful for businesses that operate in various markets or offer goods and services to multiple clients.
• Low Storage and Warehousing Costs: Because air freight allows for quicker logistics, storing a significant amount of goods at the destination may not be necessary. Depending on the items, it may take 2 to 3 days to replenish inventory. Hence, the cost of warehousing and storage at the destination can be reduced with air freight.
• Low risk of Damage: Air freight shipping usually has less touchpoints than either sea or road transportation. Because the products shipped through air freight do not come into contact with other goods, they are less likely to be damaged, thus becoming ideal for delicate and sensitive products. Businesses reduce the possibility of damage to their products and build a positive image for customers.
• Light Packaging: Because of the short transit duration normally associated with air transport, it is often possible to use low packaging protection compared to other transport modes. This eliminates the need to over-use packaging material or might lead to a lighter shipment and reduced freight expenses.
• Inventory Management: Air freight is also suitable for organisations engaged in just-in-time inventory management systems because it is fast and reliable. Through fast lead time and punctuality in delivery, air freight contributes toward lowering inventory costs and better cash flow.
• Customer Satisfaction: All the advantages mentioned above directly link with better customer satisfaction. Customers can receive products from anywhere in the world. Timely delivery and low chances of damage help to increase trust in a business.

Final thoughts

In recent times, shippers have encountered several difficulties while exporting goods by sea, including a lack of container space on shipping lines on the requested dates, delays, unforeseen route changes, skyrocketing shipping costs, and many more. Because of this, more shippers are using air freight to meet their urgent shipping demands.

Air transportation is a significant component of the world’s supply networks; companies have much to gain by employing it. We may anticipate more economical air freight shipping when air travel increases with the number of airports and flights.

Amid all the problems that traditional shipping methods present, ShiprocketX is ideal for businesses that require international air freight shipping. It helps customers with air freight shipments by providing a plethora of integrated services that can support timely deliveries. Through ShiprocketX, you can select the most ideal carrier from the numerous available carriers. It also allows real-time tracking, has no hidden fees, and offers direct integration with eCommerce platforms, making work easy and enhancing visibility. ShiprocketX offers customer support and guarantees smooth air freight shipping.