Air Freight

Overview

Air freight refers to the transportation of goods by aircraft. Depending on the nature of your products and the demands of your customers, air freight can be the perfect solution to your shipping needs. Air freight can transport goods very quickly compared to shipping by trucks, ships, or trains. Air Freight is also available to meet any emergency situation or when there is an immediate shipping requirement.

How It Works

Using air freight as a part of your overall logistics is easy to implement. The biggest issue usually is getting your shipments on to the plane at the right time, but that is a problem that is easy to fix. When your shipping department receives the order for dispatch, they can contact the air freight service operator and arrange for transport.

Air freight can be divided into three main categories. The first one is passenger airline freight, which transports passengers along with baggage. The second is cargo planes, which carries only goods. Products are loaded into the plane using a forklift and then stored in pallets on floors that are equipped with electric rollers. The third type is super transporters, which are designed for moving large items like helicopters and planes. They are built with a huge cargo area usually located above the cockpit, which allows freight to be filled almost the full length of the plane.

Benefits

Using air freight for completing your shipping orders provides a better overall customer experience. One major advantage is that it connects major cities throughout the world, ensuring the prompt delivery of goods. Another advantage is with the technology used you can track your cargo through the Internet. Other important benefits relating to air freight include better security, less packaging, lower insurance, and a shorter collection time in an open trade account arrangement. Finally, air freight can deliver goods to places where other types of shipping are not possible.

Costs

The cost of air freight has always been higher than other forms of shipment. Prices are generally fixed but there is a chance you could negotiate for better rates. Air freight rates can vary according to tariff classification, competition in routing, space availability, and the forwarder's willingness to share commissions. You may also incur additional charges like the cost of moving goods to and from the port, handling cargo, post cost, documentation and labor.

In the current market, the cost of jet fuel has been increasing so the cost of air freight may have extra surcharges. Make sure to check the current fuel price range of air freight so that you know what to expect with surcharges for your shipments. All of these costs are quoted on a port-to-port basis. Once the air freight is chosen, your cargo not only gets to the right place at the right time but also gets the right treatment every step of the way.

Timing

Air freight is usually used when goods need to be transported in short time frames. Companies who can predict their needs for air freight can negotiate contracts that will ultimately be a better value for their specific needs.