Air freight facts you should know

If you are in importing and exporting business, surely you would like to learn about different freight options that are available.  One of those options is air freight.  It is the fastest way to transport goods to distant destinations. And, if you are planning to use air freight Kuwait, maybe you should learn a little bit about how it works, what are the benefits of using this type of service, and are there any disadvantages. Here are the top air freight facts you should know before you decide how to transport your cargo.

What does air freight really mean?

Air freight means that you are transporting your goods, unaccompanied, by plane.  This type of cargo transport is the best way to perform emergency deliveries. Or for products that are sensitive and expensive to manufacture. On the other hand, moving services Kuwait can sometimes use this type of transportation to move your belongings.  Especially with overseas relocations. But, It is the most expensive freight option. And since there are limitations and restrictions on what can be safely and legally transported in a plane, it is not always available. When it comes to arranging an air freight transfer there are several options available.

• Consolidated freight means that the plane will transport many different shipments.
• Direct services mean that the scheduled plane will transport a single shipment.
• Charters mean that the entire plane is reserved for a single cargo.

Shipment can be transported in the cargo hold of a passenger plane. Or it can be transported in cargo planes that can carry a huge amount of cargo.

Advantages of transporting your cargo by air

There are many good reasons why logistics companies in Kuwait use air freight services to transport your cargo. Here are some of them:

• One of the most obvious air freight facts is that this is the fastest way to transport your goods. Especially, if you decide to use direct or charter service. The shipment sent by air usually arrives in a matter of days.
• You will be charged according to the weight of your shipment. So, this can turn out to be a very affordable option, if you are shipping light items.
• There are several options for shipping your cargo by air. As mentioned above, those are consolidated freight, direct and charter services.
• It is the best way to transport valuable and fragile items. But only if you pack them properly.
• Air freight is also the safest way to transport your goods. The tracking and security are the same as with passenger planes.

Negative air freight facts you should know

As mentioned earlier, one of the air freight facts you should know is that this is not always the best option. Here are some of the downsides of using air freight services:

• It is the most expensive way to transport cargo. The flight itself is expensive. But, there is also import duty and VAT which they will calculate as a percentage of the value of your goods and the cost of transport.
• Consolidated freight is the most common way of transporting your cargo by air. But it means that the plane will not leave until it is full. And sometimes you can wait for days for your cargo to leave the airport.
• If you are environmentally aware, you should know that this is not the eco-friendliest option.
• There are very strict laws and regulations regarding what can and what can’t be transported by air. In addition, that is the number one reason why shipping companies in Kuwait avoid using air freight.

Items that are not allowed to be transported by air

You know how strict laws and regulations are when you are traveling by plane. Well, it is the same with air freight. There is a long list of items that cannot go on a plane. And those include:

• Above all explosives, fireworks, firecrackers, detonating fuses, and anything similar.
• Flammable objects, pyrophoric substances, and materials that produce combustible fumes in contact with water. For example, dry yellow phosphorus, dry white phosphorus, activated carbon, magnesium powder, titanium powder. Also, rubber debris, safety matches, etc.
• Flammable liquids like alcohol, gasoline, paints, engine oil, turpentine, thinners, mucilage, perfumes, insect sprays, and even air fresheners.
• Items that contain a compressed gas, fire extinguishers, gas lighters, explosive automotive airbags. Also, lamp bulbs, dry ice, gas cartridges, respirator, aerosol, gas cylinder, and inflated balls, etc.
• Powder, liquids, pastes, and all other items that have danger sign on their packaging.
• Toxic and contagious items.
• Items that are dangerous to public health like medical wastes, biochemical products and infectious materials of all kinds. Also, corpses, bones, hides, not processed animal bones, dangerous pathogens
• Corrosive items like batteries.
• Oxidizers, organic peroxides, radioactive materials, and corrosive items like chemical medicines. Also, lab chemicals that contain sulphuric acid or potassium permanganate.
• Magnetic substances without protective packaging, magnetic steel, and other strong magnetic products. This also means no metal detectors, speakers, and magnets.

Interesting air freight facts you should know

Here are some interesting air freight facts that you should know if you are learning about the logistics industry.

• The first air cargo flight was more than a hundred years ago. And, it was conducted in 1910 by the Wright brothers.
• The largest cargo plane in the world is Antonov AN- 255. And, it can carry a load of 418.834 pounds.
• The busiest cargo airport is in Hong Kong. It has more than 40 parking spots for cargo aircraft and handles more than 4 million tons of freight a year.
• 52 million tons is the amount of cargo that is transported by air in one year in the whole world.
• The longest air cargo route is between Panama City and Dubai. It is a staggering trip of 8252 miles.
• The highest altitude delivery was 250 miles high into space. NASA hired two private companies to deliver the cargo to the international space station.