What is air freight?

Fresh salmon straight from Norway, flowers from Ecuador, strawberries from California, mangoes from India, cheeses from France and meat from Australia – all this can fly anywhere in the world by air. Every day planes carry on board tons of different parcels from all over the world. But that is not all. Air freight is also used to transport animals, luxury cars, military vehicles and equipment. Today, it is the fastest and safest way to transport goods, which will be of good service to everyone involved in international trade.

In this article we will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of air transportation, as well as the factors that form the cost of the service.

Advantages of air freight

Is it possible to transport goods from another continent in just 10-15 hours? Yes!!! This opportunity is provided by air cargo transportation. Thanks to them, you can, for example, enjoy fresh carnations and roses directly from India, New Zealand or Sri Lanka. Or deliver an elite horse to another continent to participate in the races. Air delivery service offers the shortest delivery time, which is very important for demanding consumers.

Using this type of transport can set you apart from your competitors, for example, you will be the only company that delivers electronics from China or clothes from Milan the fastest. Of course, speed is one of the most important trump cards of air freight – there is no other way in the world to send goods so quickly.

What is air freight? It is also the safest type of delivery, because unlike domestic transport, there are no traffic jams that can slow down the delivery. And the probability of loss / damage / physical destruction of cargo during transportation is minimized.

Air cargo delivery is the optimal solution for merchants and ordinary people who want to export / import goods of various sizes and volumes as quickly as possible, for example:

• cars
• construction materials;
• clothes, shoes;
• furniture, appliances and other items that need to be quickly sent from one continent to another.

Depending on the specifics of the goods, the supplier can choose linear or charter air transportation so that the goods arrive at the final point, preserving their conditions as much as possible.

Disadvantages of air cargo delivery

The main disadvantage of air delivery is dependence on weather conditions. Heavy fog, wind, thunderstorm, downpour can cause flight delays and sometimes even its cancellation. As a result, the cargo will not be delivered on time, which can negatively affect the partnership between the seller and the buyer.

The second disadvantage of air freight is the high cost of the service. You need to pay for the speed of transportation of goods, and if the costs are too high, the sender risks being left without profit.

Another disadvantage is the small carrying capacity of the aircraft. At one time, a cargo liner takes much less goods than, for example, a sea vessel, which again increases the cost of air delivery.

What determines the cost of air cargo delivery?

First of all, the price of the service depends on the weight of the cargo and / or its volume. Other criteria that are taken into account when calculating the price of air cargo transportation:

• delivery route, number of connecting flights, etc;
• type, name of goods;
• airport from which the cargo is sent.

According to the resolution of the International Air Carriers Association, the cost of air cargo transportation consists of the freight price (formed in accordance with the above criteria), additional payment for security, as well as fuel surcharge.