Air Freight Shipping Process

Arranging Shipment. Once foreign trade companies and industrial and trade enterprises have prepared their goods and received and verified (or amended) the letter of credit, they can proceed with shipment. This involves filling out a "Shipping Order" according to the shipping terms in the letter of credit and contract, as well as the name of the goods, quantity, shipment date, and destination, and providing relevant documents. This order is then submitted to the freight forwarding company as the basis for booking flights.

Arranging Cargo Space. After receiving the shipping order and relevant documents, the freight forwarding company, in conjunction with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), arranges cargo space based on loading principles, the nature of the goods, the quantity of cargo, the destination, and other factors, taking into account flight schedules. The CAAC then issues an air waybill.

Loading and Loading onto Aircraft. The freight forwarding company, based on flight schedules, retrieves the goods from the warehouse on behalf of the foreign trade companies or industrial and trade enterprises and delivers them to the airport. Based on the loading slip, the goods are then placed in the designated cargo space for transport.

Issuance of Air Waybill. Once the goods are loaded onto the aircraft, the Civil Aviation Administration of China issues a master air waybill, and the freight forwarding company issues a sub-air waybill. The sub-air waybill has three originals and twelve copies. Of the three originals, the first is given to the shipper, the second is retained by the freight forwarding company, and the third accompanies the goods and is given to the consignee. The twelve copies are used for customs declaration, financial settlement, overseas agency, transshipment, and distribution.

Shipping notice is issued. After the goods are loaded onto the aircraft, a shipping notice can be issued to the buyer so that they can prepare for payment, redeem documents, and receive the goods.