Distribute your goods by air

Choosing airfreight will therefore be dependent on your budget and the type of product to be shipped. Questions to consider:

Freight forwarders

All international airlines carry freight and generally have a policy of conducting their business through freight forwarders. The forwarder therefore plays an integral part in the airfreight process.

Forwarders provide a range of services including:

Like the airfreight industry, the freight forwarder industry is highly competitive so it is worth shopping around for the right one.

Use the Yellow Pages or freight transport associations to find the names of forwarders that operate in your area/industry. Request information from several forwarders to establish what type of services they offer and at what cost. Find out how many overseas offices or affiliates they have, inspect their facilities, meet their staff, and discuss your specific requirements. For example, if your goods are perishable find out if they have the relevant experience. If you require a door-to-door service, make sure that you choose a forwarder that can provide this.

Flexibility

Like most industries there are peak demand periods for airfreight, and on these occasions capacity may become limited. It is therefore important to plan and be flexible in terms of which day to ship. Obviously airlines allocate capacity during these periods to regular, reliable shippers.