Air freight is the transfer and shipment of goods through means of an air carrier and this could either be commercial or charter. This also means that imported goods are traveling out of aviation gateways and they land in the designated countries where a plane can land as well.
The global economy is still in a fast state of growth and this is because of the purchase rate of buyers. Business must carry on and this means that buyers will continue to purchase goods for that reason. Hence, they are expectant in the accurate transportation of their goods immediately via means of air freight.
Moreover, the rate of air freight has greatly increased with the rise of the global economy as well as the significant benefits it offers.
How Does Air Shipping Work?
Air cargo simply works as a means of shipping goods and products through an aircraft to designated locations. There are various options for modes of air freight in this area of work. They include the cargo hold of a passenger aircraft, commercial cargo aircraft, or passenger aircraft. ‘
Furthermore, air cargo transportation first happens at the airline terminal and this will be where the air freight company you selected receives the cargo. The goods received are prepared and loaded into the aircraft.
How Long Does Air Freight Transportation Services Take?
The time length for air freight transportation depends on various factors, such as your location and the destination of goods. In most cases, cross-country air freight can arrive at a destination within six to seven in the case of critical services. However, most international shipping will take longer to arrive at the destination.
In addition to this, you should remember that your goods will be transported by flight and will still take time to get to your destination. Still, air freight is easily one of the faster ways to transport products and goods. But, the time for those goods to get to your destination once the airplane has landed also comes into play.
What Goods Can Be Shipped By Air?
As mentioned before, air freight is one of the fastest means of transportation and many things can be shipped by air. However, the expense and speed factor also determine what can be shipped by means of air.
Some of the things that can be shipped by means of air freights are:
- Documents
- Production samples
- Plants and flowers
- Seafood
- Pharmaceuticals
- Perishable agricultural products
- Agricultural produce
- Just-in-time production
- Emergency shipments of parts
- Electronic consumer goods
- Seasonal items with a short shelflike like Cherries
These are some of the goods or cargo that can be shipped easily through air freight and their features are unmatched.
What Cannot Be Shipped By Air?
While there are goods that are being shipped fast through cargo airlines, there are also goods that cannot be accommodated or transported by air cargo. Moreover, there are tons of hazardous substances and dangerous goods. Some of these goods are cell phones, magnets, batteries, and the like of them.
In addition to this, there are most airlines that have strict regulations around them, while some do not. There are various policies that each airline has. You only have to find the one you will settle for.
How are Air Freight Rates Calculated?
Air freight is the fastest way of transporting goods, cross country or internationally. This method of transportation also helps greatly in the case of emergency goods that need to be transported quickly. However, this means of transportation is one of the most expensive ones and the air freight rates are calculated by weight.
In addition to this, most Air cargo itself is even based on volumetric weight, which is when the volume of the shipment plays a role in the weight. However, the pricing and air cargo rates all depend on the airlines and whether the flights will be domestic or international.
Best Air Freight Companies
Here are some of the best air cargo service companies that you can work with for the transit and delivery of your goods:
- China cargo airlines
- Lufthansa
- Korean Air Cargo
- Emirates
- UPS Airlines
- UPS air cargo
- DHL Aviation
- Cathay Pacific Airlines
- Singapore Airlines Cargo
- British Airways
These companies are skilled in their delivery of cargo to their designated locations. You could also always start with the best ones near you.