FAQs Air Freight
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What is air freight?
Air transportation involves the movement of people and goods from one place to another for commercial, work or leisure purposes.In the last three decades, the airplane has acquired increasing importance as a means of transporting goods worldwide. In 1980, 4 million tons of cargo were transported, while in 2013 this figure increased significantly to 49.8 million tons. Furthermore, the most recent projections suggest that in approximately 15 years, by 2035, cargo volume will exceed 150 million tons, indicating considerable growth in the air transport sector.In Spain, according to the most recent data provided by AENA, cargo volume increased by 4.7% in the period 2014-2015, going from 688,000 to 715,000 tons.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages
- Air transport stands out for its speed. Currently, it is one of the fastest means available. Commercial airplanes reach speeds that far exceed 850 km/h, clearly exceeding the speed of freight trains and cargo ships.
- Furthermore, air transport is not limited by physical barriers as is the case in other means of land transport. Although airport authorities establish routes, the absence of defined physical barriers, such as mountains or seas, makes it easier to define these routes.
- The easy access of air transportation makes it a viable option for reaching hard-to-reach places. The lack of physical barriers allows business possibilities to expand, reaching areas that were previously difficult to reach.
- Air transport is especially suitable for transporting high-value goods or perishable products. In both cases, it is crucial that the product reaches its destination as quickly as possible for safety reasons. Since air transportation is the fastest available to date, it allows distant points to be connected in a short period of time.
Disadvantages
- Air transport has some important disadvantages in economic terms. It is the most expensive means of transport, since the price of kerosene, essential for the operation of airplanes, is high (around 400 euros per ton). This implies a significant investment, especially considering that a plane can travel between 600 and 900 km in a freight transport operation.
- Air transport is strongly conditioned by weather conditions. Flights are affected by the weather, and adverse conditions such as rain, storms or snow can considerably reduce the possibilities of using this means of transportation.
- Air freight is not suitable for cheap or high-volume goods due to its high operating costs. This discourages its use for goods that do not generate sufficient economic performance.
- In addition, there are important legal restrictions on the transport of goods by air, established by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and national legislation. These restrictions are divided into several aspects:
- Due to the nature of the merchandise: certain types of merchandise, such as live animals, weapons, dangerous goods, human remains, among others, require special treatment due to their specific characteristics.
- Due to their weight and dimensions: Aircraft have technical limitations in terms of the weight and dimensions of the cargo they can carry, which requires prior consultation with the airline's ground staff and crew.
- Due to its value: if the merchandise has a high value, express authorization from the airline is required, especially if it exceeds certain value thresholds, to ensure its safety and security during transport.
FAQs
The transport of goods by air is a sector in constant growth and is characterized by its dynamism. In order to address the main questions that may arise about this transportation system, we are going to address a variety of relevant topics.
01. What is the distinction between a regular line and a charter flight, and how does this influence the logistics of air cargo transportation?
Like any company, an airline organizes its operations in advance. Therefore, it is considered that we are dealing with a regular service when the route is part of the company's usual planning.
On the other hand, a charter flight arises when a person or company, upon request, directly contracts an airline to carry out a specific journey. These flights are often used for special events, such as sporting events or concerts, to transport people or goods as needed.
In the field of air freight transport, the main airlines opt for regular routes. These operations are carried out through a consignment note, which establishes the transport contract and justifies the shipment of the cargo.
Although freight is invoiced, ownership of the merchandise is not transferred. On the contrary, the transport of goods on charter flights is based on the chartering of aircraft. The contract is formalized through an "air charter policy."
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