5 Things You Need to Know About Air Freight Shipping

Companies that import and export goods are always looking for the best option for transporting their products. Although it may seem as though the cheapest option would be the best, this is not always the case.

Getting the products your clients want in a timely fashion is very important. If you are importing food or medicine, it is also important to deliver fresh products.

Airfreight shipping is a fast and efficient way to transport goods. There are a few facts that you should know about air freight to make sure your shipment gets to you in time, in one piece, and for a reasonable price.

There are Several Options for Air Shipping

When you arrange to have a product shipped, you will have several options for shipping. If you have a lot of cargo, you may need the entire plane to yourself and you will want to charter an aircraft.

You can also put your product on a consolidated flight, where you will share the plane with other companies making shipments. If time is not of the essence and you want to save money, you can defer your shipment and it will go out within 5 days. A consolidated shipment may travel in the cargo hold of a commercial airline or on an actual cargo plane.

You, Will be Charged by the Weight of Your Items

If the products you are transporting are fairly light, air shipping may actually be a less expensive option than the ocean freight. An air shipper will charge you by the weight of your item.

When you ship by ocean freight, they will charge you by the container. Ocean freight containers are 40 feet tall and if you cannot fill a container, you will have to find someone to share it with or you may end up losing money.

Drawbacks to Air Freight

Although it is generally a great way to transport goods, there are some drawbacks to air shipping. Flying, in general, is not very ecologically sound. Airplanes emit carbon dioxide into the air and that contributes to global warming.

If you do get a deferred shipment, the cargo company is very likely to wait until they have a full plane to take off, so you should not get anything important on a deferred shipment.

Things You are Not Allowed to Ship on a Plane

Before you decide how to transport your goods, you may want to make sure that whatever it is you are shipping is legally allowed to be transported by air. You are not allowed to ship anything flammable on a commercial jet. There are certain chemicals that you cannot transport. You cannot transport a compressible gas such as fire extinguishers or gas lighters and you cannot transport biomedical products or waste. You may be able to put some of these items on a cargo plane.

Make Sure You Pack and Label Everything Correctly

It is extremely important to pack everything you are sending securely. It is a good idea to use pallets that are affixed with masking tape when you ship something on a plane. You should also make sure to measure and weigh everything you send carefully. Putting the wrong weight on a package can end up delaying your shipment and costing you time and money.

Hire a Logistics Company

In many cases, several different forms of transportation are employed to import and export products.  A logistics company can figure out the most economic and time-efficient way to get your product to you and to your customers. Dedola Global Logistics has years of experience in shipping. They have a trained staff that will work within your budget and communicate with you every step of the way.

Authoritative Sources:
http://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/