Air Freight Services -Top Advantages & Disadvantages

What do you think is the fastest form of a shipment of goods? It’s Airfreight. And air freight logistics is the most popular choice for many companies as it ensures passage for their goods to anywhere in the world.

It can be a chartered or scheduled air carrier. Since shipments transported by air carriers go through a higher level of security it is also a secure way to transport goods.

A freight forwarder assists companies in the process of transporting goods from one place to another. They use the most cost-effective methods with a suitable shipping company to ensure that every point of the journey goes smoothly.

There are several advantages for transporting goods by air.

Efficiency - Air freight is quick, particularly if you use a direct service. You can expect goods to be at their intended destination within days of sending it whilst sea freight can take several weeks.

Good Value on Smaller Deliveries - Air freight is charged based on weight as opposed to volume which makes it more cost-effective to send smaller deliveries via air freight than by sea.

More Options - Shipping companies can offer more options to the importer with air freight, including consoles and direct routes.

Less Potential to Damage Shipment - Providing the goods are correctly packaged, air freight is usually a better way of shipping fragile items as damage is less likely compared to sea freight.

More Traceable - As flights are tracked, shipments are more easily traceable which can give businesses more peace of mind.

While some of the shortcomings include

Expense -Using air freight can be a lot more expensive than sea freight, not just for the cost of delivery but for import duty and VAT. These are calculated as a percentage of the cost of the goods plus the cost of shipping

Logistical Restrictions - When using a consolidated freight shipment, the business will have to wait until the flight is full with other deliveries before it is sent. This can add time to the delivery with some flights only going once or twice a week to main destinations.

Transport Restrictions - Air freight is much stricter in what it is allowed to transport than sea freight. Hazardous materials such as explosives, gases, flammable or radioactive items, toxic chemicals, and strong magnets are among some of the items that are prohibited from being delivered by air freight.

Environmental Restriction -Air freight is considered worse for the environment compared to shipping goods by sea.