Air Cargo - Buyers Guide

Air Cargo Introduction

Air cargo is growing in popularity as the medium of choice when it comes to shipping time sensitive goods, belongings, documents and information from one place to another. Air cargo refers to the act of using an air carrier as the transport vessel for shipment purposes. The benefits of air cargo are the speed and convenience of using such a service. Air cargo can get your shipment to its overseas destination within a day in many instances and it has become an integral and important part of the global logistics network chain.

There are now plenty of airlines that offer air cargo services. Generally these airlines are dedicated to air cargo transport, however, a number of commercial passenger airlines have separate divisions offering cargo services. Some of these air cargo companies are in actuality feeder services for larger express delivery companies and merely work under contracts for the larger businesses.

Using air cargo can be a tricky question in many people’s minds. After all there are a number of different shipping options when it comes to cargo. The determining factors for many businesses and individuals is time sensitivity, the fragility of the goods involved and the budget. While other forms of shipping are slow and cost efficient, air cargo is more expensive given its expediency. If you are looking to accompany the goods as they are shipped, that is also possible as some air cargo planes are specially equipped to carry passengers as well as merchandise.

When looking to send a shipment overseas using air cargo, most businesses and individuals turn to freight forwarders to help them deal with the logistics and paperwork involved with the process. Although you can always book the entire shipment by yourself, there are so many intricacies involved in the shipment of goods that it is best to retain the services of either a freight forwarder or arrange to have your goods sent by a big name delivery service. Among the things that you will have to arrange on your own if you wish to do so is insurance, customs forms, duty and payment. You will also have to arrange for the person receiving the goods at the final destination to receive them – either by picking it up themselves or paying for a third party to deliver it. Many larger air cargo companies will offer freight forwarding services for smaller shipments and deliveries, but if you are planning on shipping large quantities of goods or you are planning the removal of an entire house then you are better of hiring a freight forwarder to help you with the logistics planning of your shipment.

Finding an air cargo supplier is not too complicated thanks to a slew of highly visible and well-established businesses that offer air freight services. Continue reading to get a better understanding of how air cargo shipments work, how they can best be used to suit your needs and what you can expect from such services. We have also provided a glossary of commonly used terms and selected articles that may be of interest to you.

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I had to put some items in storage and didn't know how to choose the best place. Within minutes I received a few phone calls from companies who were happy to help me. What a relief it was to discover this system!

Adrian, Buyer
Devon, UK