Air freight transportation is basically the transportation of cargo by air, and it is the fastest way to transport goods in any corner of the world. The flights taking the goods use the same gateways as normal passenger planes use, but they have to go through a different process of guidelines. Besides, Air freight transport solutions can be used for both domestic and international transportation, and these aircraft are specially designed to carry goods.
Moreover, there are two factors that define air freight transport; the value of the cargo and the time frame in which they must be transported. In this article, you are going to learn why you should rely on it, why it is important, and how it is beneficial for businesses.
Importance Of Air Freight Transportation
As the world is getting more and more interconnected, the need for goods transportation is also expanding. According to studies and research, only 2-3% of cargo volumes are transported each year, and this small amount accounts for approximately 35% of cargo value. Some points that explain the importance of Air freight are as follows.
1] Low-Cost Insurance
Air freight can save some money as you do not need to pay a lot of insurance premiums for air cargo. This is due to the traveling time of cargo being shorter compared to other transportation. Therefore, even if the charges are high, it does save you money on low-cost insurance.
2] Shipment Safety And Security
Air freights are no doubt the best when it comes to the safety and security of shipment because the package remains under strict restrictions. This results in less exposure to damages and thefts of the package and also decreases the chances of extra cost due to losses while transiting.
3] Reduces Storehouse Needs
As the transit time is less in air freight transports, this leads to lesser warehousing needs as you don’t have to keep stock of goods. However, if the customs clearance, inspections, and cargo handler are efficient enough, most of the goods will be cleared in a few hours.
Advantages Of Air Freight Service
Air freight plays an efficient role in the supply chain of cargo and is used for bulky, high-value, time-bounded, and perishable goods. Further, air freight can be advantageous for mid-sized and small businesses as this gives them the opportunity to indulge in international trade. Here are some more points which elaborate on the advantages of air freight.
1] Accessibility
Airports are located in most major cities of the world, and this gives air freights easy access to businesses around the world. This helps small companies to compete with bigger industries on a global scale.
2] Speed
Air freights are the fastest way to deliver goods around the world in a matter of hours or days, depending on the location at which it has to be delivered. This gives advantages to businesses that deal with time-bounding goods.
3] Reliability
Air freights are unlikely to get delays in delivery as chances of getting impacted by weather, traffic, or other factors are less compared to other transportation. This makes air freight a reliable choice for companies to rely on for their goods to be delivered on time.
Air Freight Transport Steps
The step includes in air freight transport are as follows:
1] Booking a shipment with the air freight carrier.
2] Preparing the goods for shipment
3] Transporting the goods to the airport
4] Custom clearance to check all the compliances and documents
5] Loading the goods on the plane
6] Transporting the goods by plane to the destination
7] Unloading the shipment upon reaching the destination
8] Custom clearance at the destination airport
9] Final delivery of the goods to its recipient by a third-party logistics provider or a carrier.
Types of Cargo Carried By Air Freight
There are two types of cargo transported by air freights, general cargo and special cargo. Plunge to understand them in detail.
1] General Cargo
This type of cargo does not require any special guidelines or attention to be handled during the transit; hence it is named general cargo. It includes mostly retail goods such as textiles, dry goods, hardware, and many more; however, mobile, tablets, and laptops can be exceptions.
2] Special Cargo
Goods that are of high value and require special attention due to their nature and dimensions come under special cargo type. The transport of such goods is carried with specific guidelines and is handled with care. This can include items like live animals, perishable goods, wet goods, and time and temperature sensational goods.
Conclusion
In this article, we understood what air freight transport is and how it helps businesses to take their company on the international market. Besides we also discussed the advantages of air freight transport and how it works. Hope you got the reasons behind relying on air freight transportation.
