International air transport and related operations: freight process and document analysis

Compared with ocean and railway transportation, international air transportation has gradually become an important part of cross-border e-commerce because of its fast and high-quality transportation advantages. The rise of cross-border e-commerce has caused traditional shipping bulk orders to be broken down into high-frequency small orders, prompting more and more goods to be transported in the form of air parcels. This trend is particularly evident in promoting the development of international air transport, especially in areas that are closely integrated with the global postal system and commercial express delivery system.

International air transportation

1. Flight transportation

Flight transportation refers to the form of air cargo with fixed flights, time and routes. Due to its fixed nature, importers and exporters can predict the transportation time and cost of goods in advance, thereby improving the guarantee of contract performance. This mode of transportation is divided into passenger flights and cargo flights. Cargo flights are mainly responsible for cargo transportation and usually use all-cargo aircraft. Although excess air transport is limited, some large air cargo companies will open cargo flights on routes with relatively concentrated cargo volumes.

2. Charter transportation

Charter transportation means leasing the entire aircraft to the shipper or freight forwarding company to transport the goods according to the conditions agreed by both parties. Charter flights are usually suitable for bulk cargo as they cost less than flights. However, the delivery time is longer compared to flights. Charter flights are divided into full charter flights and partial charter flights. The latter is suitable for transportation when the cargo volume is insufficient for the entire aircraft, but it needs to wait for other cargo owners to share the space.

3. Centralized consignment

Concentrated consignment means that air freight forwarding companies consign multiple batches of scattered goods together, and usually can enjoy a fee lower than the airline’s standard freight rate. This approach not only provides cost efficiencies for shippers, but also extends airline service offerings.

Transport documents and their functions

Air transport documents

Air waybill is a transportation contract between the carrier and the shipper. Although it has the nature of a cargo receipt, it does not have the property title certificate. The consignee needs to rely on the airline’s delivery notice when picking up the goods, rather than picking up the goods directly with the waybill.

Railway transport documents

In railway transportation, there are two main types of documents: the SMGS railway waybill and the cargo receipt. The former is the contract certificate for international railway cargo transportation, while the latter is used for functions such as settlement of foreign exchange in domestic railway transportation.

Booking and order receiving operations

Booking

Booking means that the shipper applies for and reserves space from the airline, which needs to be done based on the characteristics of the cargo. For urgent cargo, it is recommended to choose direct flights, while for non-urgent cargo, you can choose transfer flights. Information such as cargo characteristics and destination port must be clearly stated in the booking form so that the airline can reasonably arrange flights.

Receive orders and receive goods

Order receiving refers to the air freight forwarder receiving all documents required for export from the shipper, while receiving goods is the actual handover process of the goods. This process requires checking the consistency of the goods and documents, and ensuring that the outer packaging meets transportation requirements.

Through the above content, we can see the importance of international air transportation in the modern cargo transportation system, as well as the key role of related operations and documents in the transportation process.