Transport plays a crucial role in all types of business, but especially in international trade. The profit margins of merchants are also impacted by shipping expenses. It’s advisable to use air freight if you need to get something immediately. It’s a simple, fast method for enhancing the efficiency of your supply chain. For countries with limited or no road infrastructure, air freight is an essential means of speeding up the delivery of commodities.

Using air freight to boost supply chain efficiency is a simple and fast solution. However, there are several factors to consider before settling on a shipping strategy for your company. Differences in shipping speed, reliability, and cost might be substantial when choosing air freight over ocean freight. You should give some careful consideration to the following factors before deciding on air freight shipments. 

In an effort to assist you save time, money, and effort, and to prevent you from making costly mistakes, we have compiled a list of best practices and industry advice. Let’s take a quick look.

Features to Keep in Mind When Choosing An Air Freight Services

When selecting an air freight carrier, the following criteria need to be taken into consideration:

1. Global Route Access

It is necessary for air freight shipping lines to have network connection in every region of the world. The carrier must have a significant distribution network that reaches even the most remote areas and countries around the globe. A freight carrier that has a big distribution network is the one that a company ought to go with because the globe’s population is expanding but at the same time the world is becoming a smaller place.

2. Shipper Who Is Reliable and Risk-Free

When selecting an air freight carrier, it is of the utmost importance to make certain that the carrier in question is reliable and trustworthy. Because the commodities that are delivered via air freight are often of a high value, even the smallest amount of damage can create enormous losses for firms, both financially and in terms of their reputations.

3. Integrated Services

Before making a final decision and selecting an air freight service, businesses should first investigate the other services that the potential provider has to provide in order to obtain a complete picture of what they have to offer. For example, the capability to provide end-to-end transit by supplementing air freight services with inland transportation service and warehouse capabilities is vital. This can be accomplished by providing end-to-end transit. This would be helpful to enterprises as it would allow them to acquire costing that is optimal for these allied services. Because the carrier is the one who is responsible for providing each of these services, there is an increased level of reliability as a result.

4. Customs and Compliances

A reliable air freight carrier will have a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of all the customs-related documentation, approvals, and taxes that must be paid. When picking an air freight carrier, this is a vital consideration to make because the carrier will be in the best position to assist the company on any necessary documentation related to the shipment. The company can rely on them for their assistance and knowledge to ensure that the shipping will go off without a hitch and without any complications.

Volume Weight vs. Actual Weight

Freight costs in the air can be calculated by either volume or weight, whichever is greater. This is because larger packages, even while relatively light in weight, can consume more of an airplane’s cargo space than smaller, heavier items. Importers must think about the volume weight against the actual weight when sending packages via air. The package’s actual weight is the weight displayed on a scale. Multiplying the length, width, and height of a package gives you the volume weight. By letting airlines choose a standard weight and dimension for shipments, it simplifies the estimation of total freight capacity.                                          

When shipping via air freight, it’s necessary to take into account the product’s final dimensions after packaging. A considerable increase in cost may result if the volume weight is higher than the actual weight. They will assist you in determining the most efficient means of enclosing your products so that you can cut down on shipping costs and waste. A good rule of thumb is to utilize packaging that is both lightweight and sturdy. The goal is to maximize efficiency in transportation by minimizing the weight and volume of packages without compromising on safety.

The Bottom Line

The cost of transporting goods via air freight is typically lower than the cost of transporting goods using traditional shipping methods. This is especially true for time-sensitive goods that need to be transported quickly. The dependability of air freight services can largely be attributed to the consistency of its flight schedule. However, there are a few things to take in mind before selecting the Air Freight service as your shipping option. The above mentioned post has you insights of all the key aspects that you need to make before selecting air freight as your mode of shipment. In spite of this, I-Way is available to assist you in the event that you need guidance or a specialized air freight solution. We have experts in air freight that will ensure that your items are delivered in a timely manner while maintaining a high level of security.