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What is Air Freight & How Does It Work? A Complete Guide
May 1 , 2022
Chaitanya
Atlantic International Express understands your need for fast, reliable and efficient courier delivery. Hence we offer affordable air freight solutions.
But what is air freight? Air freight is one of the most effective ways to transport goods across the globe. It is especially useful for time-sensitive or high-value cargo to reach its destination on schedule.
Let us talk in detail about what air freight is, how it works, and how embracing it will help you soar your business.
What is Air Freight?
Air freight is the transportation of goods through aircraft. Air freight is particularly designed for speed and reliability. Air freight works as the savior for businesses that need to send time-sensitive cargo such as perishable items, and for urgent supplies. It is also beneficial for transporting high-value products like electronics, pharmaceuticals, or fashion apparel.
Industries That Benefit The Most By Using Air Freight
- E-commerce: Make customers happy by delivering products quickly.
- Pharmaceuticals: Safe transport of temperature-sensitive vaccines and medicines.
- Automotive: Supplying critical spare parts when needed.
- Fashion: Fast transportation to keep up with fast-moving trends.
- Technology: Moving high-value electronics securely.
How Does Air Freight Work?
Over the years, the world of air freight has undergone massive changes and updates and what we see now is a highly sophisticated and efficient working system. Air freight involves a well-oiled process where every step is coordinated with the focus on handling shipments with care and precision.
A typical air freight process involves the following steps:
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Booking and Documentation
- Air Waybill (AWB): The contract detailing your shipment’s specifics.
- Commercial Invoice: For customs valuation and compliance.
- Packing List: To verify contents and packaging.
- Export/Import Licenses: For regulated goods.
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Packaging and Labeling
- Once documentation is over, we move to packaging. Proper packaging is instrumental to protecting your goods during transit, as turbulence or temperature variations can cause damage.
- For special cargo like perishables or hazardous materials, customized containers and labeling are needed.
- Packaging also includes labels as it ensures proper handling and delivery.
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Collection and Consolidation
- After packaging, the cargo is collected from your location or delivered to our warehouse.
- Here, smaller shipments are consolidated to optimize costs. This ensures efficiency without compromising speed.
- Before the next step, the cargo is thoroughly screened for security purposes.
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Export Customs Clearance
- This step involves management of customs clearance at the origin, verifying documentation, and ensuring compliance with export regulations.
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Air Transport
- This is the actual step of transportation. The cargo is loaded onto a freighter or passenger plane’s cargo hold. The shipment size and urgency decide where the cargo is loaded.
- Most shipments arrive within 1–3 days, keeping your supply chain moving.
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Import Customs Clearance
- Upon arrival, the next step is import customs clearance. Here all duties and taxes are processed.
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Final Delivery
- This step involves last-mile delivery to the recipient’s doorstep. This is usually done using a reliable network of trucking and courier partners
The process starts when you contact us with your requirements. We note down your details and take care of the documentation. It includes:
Why Choose Air Freight with Atlantic International Express
There are multiple players in the market offering air freight services. So how do you pick the best? Atlantic offers the following benefits and services and hence is the leading air freight service provider.
- Unmatched Speed : We have efficient systems in place and leverage the technology. Plus our experience enables us to deliver your packages without any delays. So choose Atlantic if you need faster than fast delivery of urgent or time-sensitive goods.
- Global Network : We have a presence in 180+ countries and have a global network of agents. This enables us to deliver packages to virtually any part of the world.
- End-to-End Tracking : We offer real-time tracking facility and have proof-of-delivery feature. So you can track the updates of your shipment with just a few clicks and stay in the know-how.
- Expert Handling : Our executives undergo rigorous training. So you can stay assured about professional handling of your cargo. Our team has the expertize to handle specialized goods such as fragile, perishable, or hazardous cargo.
- Customer-centric approach : We make air freight services hassle-free, so the customers enjoy a seamless experience. We have doorstep pickup and drop, insurance feature and a 24/7 customer service that solves all your queries in real time.
How Technology Is Changing Face of Air Freight
At Atlantic International Express, we leverage cutting-edge technology to enhance accuracy and reduce transit time in international delivery from India.
- Real-Time Tracking : We use GPS and other systems so that you can monitor your shipment’s status with our advanced systems.
- Digital Platforms : We have an automated booking system that lets you book a courier in no time and in just a few steps. No more lengthy form-filling.
- Automation : We have streamlined warehouse operations for faster processing.
- Data Insights : We offer analytics to optimize your supply chain.
Air Freight Costs and How We Optimize Them
Air freight pricing depends on various factors including weight, volume, distance, and cargo type. We are always pushing the envelope to reduce the costs and we do so by the following measures:
- We calculate the volumetric weight accurately (length × width × height ÷ 6000 for cm/kg).
- We consolidate shipments so that efficiency is improved.
- We have flexible service levels so that it matches your budget.
- We keep a close eye on fuel surcharges to keep pricing transparent.
Contact Us To Experience Best Air Freight Services
Atlantic International Express is in the business of offering air freight services for years now. We are a reliable and trusted logistics partner with a proven history of offering successful deliveries across the world. If you want to know how air freight services can benefit your business, contact us now. Our team will explain the various types of air freight services available and will suggest the best ones for your business.
