Air Freight and Air Cargo Forwarding
From volumetric weight and the air waybill to dangerous-goods rules and customs clearance, we handle the whole process of your air cargo under one roof.
Air freight is the transport of commercial cargo in the belly hold of passenger aircraft or on freighters, from airport to airport. Charges are based on the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight, and distances between continents are measured in hours, not days. CargoMerger organises your export and import air cargo.
How is volumetric weight calculated in air freight?
In air freight, volumetric weight is found by multiplying the length, width and height of the package in centimetres and dividing by 6,000. This is the standard IATA convention and treats one cubic metre as roughly 166.67 kilograms. The chargeable weight is whichever is greater, actual weight or volumetric weight; for light but bulky cargo the invoice is almost always based on volume. Dimensions are taken as palletised and stretch-wrapped, including the pallet height; for bulging packages the widest point counts. For international express courier products the divisor is normally 5,000, so the same cargo can produce a different chargeable weight in express and in standard air cargo. This is why you need to share the number of packages and the dimensions of each when asking for a quote. For a worked example, see What is volumetric weight? and the volumetric weight calculator.
- Volumetric weight = (length × width × height, in cm) / 6,000
- Chargeable weight is the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight; a step-by-step calculation and a comparison of divisors are in the glossary entry on volumetric weight
- Dimensions include pallet height and packaging, taken at the widest point
- For international express products the divisor is normally 5,000, which is where the weight difference comes from
What is an AWB, and what is the difference between a master AWB and a house AWB?
The AWB (air waybill) is the document that provides rebuttable evidence that a contract of carriage has been made between carrier and shipper and that the cargo has been handed to the carrier; under the Montreal Convention, the absence of the document does not remove the existence or validity of the contract. Its most important difference from the sea bill of lading is that it is not a document of title: it cannot be endorsed and does not transfer ownership by changing hands; the cargo is delivered to the consignee named on it. The master AWB (MAWB) is the main document issued by the airline itself and often shows the forwarder as shipper. The house AWB (HAWB) is the sub-document the forwarder issues separately for each customer. In a consolidated shipment, dozens of HAWBs can sit under one MAWB; the MAWB defines the relationship between airline and forwarder, the HAWB the real seller–buyer relationship. The AWB number has 11 digits, the first three being the airline's code, and flight tracking is done with this number.
What is the difference between express and standard air cargo?
Express is a door-to-door product run under one hand, including customs clearance; standard air cargo works essentially from airport to airport, with carriage at both ends and customs clearance organised separately. Express operators use their own networks and accelerated declaration channels, so delivery is quick, but pricing is built for small and light consignments. In standard air cargo the cargo is consolidated and built on a pallet or ULD; unit cost falls as weight rises. Roughly speaking, samples, documents, a single box of spare parts and urgent consignments of a few tens of kilograms suit express, while palletised and regular shipments above a few hundred kilograms suit standard air cargo better. The threshold is not fixed and shifts with the route, the season and capacity that day. The sound approach is to price the same cargo both ways.
When are charter and special cargo moves needed?
A charter is the hire of a whole aircraft or part of one when capacity on scheduled flights is not enough or the cargo does not fit the door and pallet dimensions of a scheduled aircraft. Typical uses are urgent parts that stop a production line, project and heavy machinery cargo, exhibition and event materials, and humanitarian shipments. Special cargo goes on scheduled aircraft but needs the airline's prior approval. Live animals are carried under the IATA Live Animals Regulations (LAR), to set standards from cage size to ventilation and feeding conditions. Valuable cargo (VAL) is handled in separate locked compartments under supervision. For pharmaceuticals, vaccines and biological products, the cold chain is protected by active temperature-controlled containers or thermal covers; airlines are certified in this area through programmes such as IATA CEIV Pharma. Not every airline accepts every special cargo type, so confirmation before booking is essential.
How do dangerous goods (DGR) rules work in air freight?
Dangerous goods are subject to the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR); the cargo is accepted only with the correct UN number, class, packing group, approved packaging, labelling and the shipper's signed declaration (Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods). There are nine classes: explosives, gases, flammable liquids, flammable solids, oxidisers and organic peroxides, toxic and infectious substances, radioactive material, corrosives and miscellaneous dangerous goods. Lithium batteries are in the last group, and their rules on state of charge, packaging and quantity tighten every year. Some substances can travel only on a freighter, and some are never accepted on an aircraft. A wrong or incomplete declaration leads to the cargo being stopped at the terminal and to criminal liability, which is why the product's safety data sheet is requested before booking. The following are common DGR cargoes; they are not banned, they are carried under rules.
- Perfume, cologne and alcohol-based cosmetics — flammable liquid (Class 3); carried in approved packaging with a shipper's declaration
- Aerosols and sprays — Class 2; lighters and lighter gas depend on airline approval, and most carriers do not accept them as cargo
- Paint, thinner, adhesives and resins — flammable liquid (Class 3)
- Devices containing lithium batteries — Class 9; packaging and quantity rules apply. Spare batteries shipped separately from the device go with a state-of-charge limit and only on a freighter
- Cold-chain cargo shipped with dry ice — dry ice is UN 1845, Class 9; requires a weight declaration and a label
- Parts containing strong magnets — declared as UN 2807 (Class 9) when the magnetic field exceeds the threshold
What cost items make up air freight?
Air freight is not a single item; on top of the transport charge calculated on chargeable weight come additional items from the airline and the terminal. The fuel surcharge is indexed to jet fuel prices and updated periodically; the security surcharge covers screening and security handling. For air imports into Türkiye, a defined free period applies from entry into the warehouse, after which storage starts to run; tariffs and periods change with legislation. The variables that really move the price are the load balance of the direction, the season and whether the cargo needs special handling. A realistic figure can therefore only be given once dimensions, weight, product type and destination are known.
- Transport charge on chargeable weight
- Fuel surcharge and security surcharge
- AWB issue and documentation fee
- Terminal and handling at origin; storage and delivery order at destination
- Customs brokerage, X-ray and local delivery
- Special cargo surcharges: dangerous goods, cold chain, oversize
Which airports does air cargo leave from in Türkiye?
Most of Türkiye's air cargo volume flows through Istanbul Airport (IST) and Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (SAW), because direct routes and tariff variety are concentrated there. For the Aegean region, the direct departure point is İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB). The ADB cargo complex houses import and export warehouses, the customs directorate building, valuable-goods and radioactive-material stores and agency offices on one site; the terminal's total area is roughly 21 thousand square metres. Part of the cargo leaving the Aegean flies directly from İzmir; for destinations without a direct route, cargo is trucked to Istanbul and flown from there. Antalya and Adana are also used for regional departures.
Air or sea? When does air freight make sense?
Air transport makes sense for cargo with a high value per kilogram and time pressure; for heavy, bulky cargo of low unit value, sea is almost always the right choice. A practical yardstick is the ratio of freight to goods value: for products that are expensive per kilogram, such as electronics, pharmaceuticals, spare parts and fashion collections, air freight is a small share of total cost. For raw materials, packaging, furniture or building materials, the same freight can exceed the value of the goods. The decision should look beyond freight to the cost of holding stock, the risk of a production stoppage, contractual late penalties and the shelf life of the product. Many companies mix: critical items by air, the rest by sea. The time difference is also decisive; although the flight is measured in hours, door-to-door time varies with transhipment, customs congestion and local delivery.
Key differences between standard air cargo, express courier and sea freight
| Criterion |
Standard air cargo |
Express courier |
Sea freight |
| Charging basis |
Chargeable weight (volumetric divisor 6,000) |
Chargeable weight (volumetric divisor normally 5,000) |
Per container in FCL; per m³ or tonne (W/M) in LCL |
| Service scope |
Usually airport to airport |
Door to door, including customs clearance |
Port to port or door to door |
| Transport document |
MAWB + HAWB |
Courier waybill / HAWB |
Sea bill of lading (B/L) or sea waybill |
| Typical cargo profile |
Palletised shipments from a few hundred kg upwards |
Samples, documents, small parcels |
Heavy, bulky cargo of low unit value |
| Time |
Flight in hours; door to door a few days |
Fastest option |
Weeks, depending on the line |
| Flexibility |
Depends on schedule and capacity that day |
Dense network, frequent departures |
Low sailing frequency, needs planning |
| Unit cost |
Higher than sea, lower than express |
Highest per kilogram |
Lowest per kilogram |
Documents used in this shipment
- Commercial invoice — shows the type, quantity, unit and total value of the goods, the delivery terms (Incoterms) and buyer details.
- Packing list — contains the number of packages, gross and net weight and package dimensions; volumetric weight is calculated from these dimensions.
- Air waybill (MAWB and HAWB) — evidence that the contract of carriage has been made and the cargo handed to the carrier; the tracking number comes from it.
- Shipper's Letter of Instruction — the shipper's written transport and document instructions to the forwarder.
- Export or import customs declaration — the official declaration made to the customs authority.
- A.TR movement certificate — proves free-circulation status of goods under the Customs Union; it is not a certificate of origin.
- EUR.1 or EUR-MED movement certificate — issued for shipments to countries with a free trade agreement.
- Certificate of origin — shows the country of origin of the goods, needs chamber of commerce approval, and is mandatory in some countries.
- Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods and safety data sheet (SDS/GBF) — required for cargo under DGR.
- Health, veterinary and phytosanitary certificates and, where needed, a CITES permit — required for food, live animals and plant products.
- Cargo insurance policy — protects value above the carrier's per-kilogram liability limit.
- Note: the document set needed depends on the product, the destination country and the terms of the buyer or letter of credit; the list is agreed together before loading.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum weight in air freight?
There is no technical lower limit, but airlines apply a minimum charge; for very small consignments the price is fixed at a base figure independent of the weight calculation. For shipments of a few kilograms, express courier is therefore often the better value. To decide properly, price the same cargo both ways.
How long does air cargo take to arrive?
Flight time is measured in hours, but door-to-door time is longer. Acceptance at the terminal, security screening, loading sequence, waiting at a transfer point, customs at destination and local delivery are added. On non-stop routes it can take a few days; on routes with transfers and in peak seasons it takes longer. The time varies with the route, transfers and customs congestion.
Can an AWB be endorsed, and does it keep control of the goods?
No. The AWB is not a document of title and cannot be endorsed; the cargo is delivered to the named consignee after identity checks. Unlike a sea bill of lading, you cannot block the goods by holding the original document. Sellers looking for payment security usually use a letter of credit and have the bank named as consignee.
Can I send perfume, a device with a lithium battery or paint?
Often yes, but within the dangerous-goods rules. Perfume and cologne are flammable liquids, paint and thinner are in the flammable class, and devices with lithium batteries are subject to separate packaging and charge rules. Some products can travel only on a freighter. Before booking you need to share the product's safety data sheet (SDS/GBF; formerly MSDS).
Is insurance compulsory in air freight?
It is not compulsory, but it is recommended. The carrier's liability for loss and damage under the Montreal Convention is limited per kilogram; since 28 December 2024 the limit is 26 SDR, and it often does not cover the real value of the cargo. For high-value cargo, a separate cargo insurance policy gives real protection.
Do I have to bring the cargo to the airport myself?
No. Collection from your factory or warehouse, palletising and stretch-wrapping, weighing and measuring, delivery to the terminal and document preparation can be organised as part of the shipment. If you prefer airport-to-airport service only, that is possible too; the scope is agreed together at the quote stage.