What is an Air Waybill (AWB)
The airway bill is a vital document to have if you’re shipping commodities by air. But this one-page, legally binding document does more than just satisfy the authorities at airports of origin and arrival who process the customs clearance process. There are many purposes for an airway bill.
Let us first discuss what is an Airway Bill-
An airway bill is an agreement between a shipper and a carrier. A tracking number provides information about the nature of the goods being shipped and enables the shipment to be tracked, among other things. Among the common terms, you may hear or see referred to in airways.
Bills associated with shipping agents and freight forwarders are:
AWB
Airway bill
Air consignment note
Dispatch note
The airway bill, or AWB, is the same document as all of these alternative names, which will be called an airway bill for the remainder of this article.
Few Other Details about Airway Bill:
Several key pieces of information must be provided on an airway bill, which is given below :
Shipper’s name and address
Consignee’s name and address.
3-letter IATA code for the airport of origin
3-letter IATA code for the airport of arrival
Description of the goods to be shipped
The value of the shipment
The number of items in the shipment
The gross weight of the shipment
Any special instructions? For example, are the goods perishable?
Furthermore, the AWB identifies the terms, conditions, and liability limitations of the carrier. If a shipper’s freight is lost or damaged during transit, it describes the procedures they must follow to file a claim.
Documents such as airway bills are legal. Commercial law entails the terms they contain, and they must accompany goods shipped by air.
Tracking the location of a shipment can be done using the unique 11-digit number that is assigned to each airway bill. The meaning of those numbers is as follows:
Starting three digits represent the airline that transported the cargo. The following seven digits are the serial number of the airway bill. Then we are left with the last digit and to obtain that divide the serial number by seven and use the remainder. It’s known as the check digit.
What Does Non-Negotiable Airway Bill Mean?
On every airway bill, “Non-negotiable” is printed. AWBs are contracts for the transportation of goods and do not involve the monetary value of the goods being transported. Additionally, the AWB does not mention the specific flight schedule at the time your cargo will reach its destination or the time your cargo will arrive at your chosen destination airport.
Importance of Airway Bill for Air Freight:
Below given point lets you know the importance of airway bills:
- It includes the contact information for all parties involved in the shipment.
- Act as a Transport agreement between the shipper and the airline.
- Describes the character, weight, dimensions, and nature of the goods.
- Tracking the progress of goods can be done by shippers and consignees using it.
- This document provides evidence that the goods were received in good condition.
- As long as it’s accompanied by other documents, it can function as a freight bill or an invoice.
- Airway bills provide evidence of the goods which a carrier intends to insure if these goods are to be shipped.
The issuer of the Airway Bill and its Type of It:
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) develops and issues AWB, which are designed to meet and support the industry’s highest standards of security, safety, and efficiency.
Type of Airway Bill:
Airline Specific: This bill includes information specific to specific carriers, such as their name, headquarters address, logo, and airway bill number.
Neutral:
These are the same as above except that the data is not pre-populated.
Electronic Airway Bills (e-AWB)
Before the Electronic Airway Bill Resolution, paper copies of airway bills were mandatory. As a result, airway bills moved online, providing extra ease and speed to the shipping process. This electronic bill is called e-AWB or electronic airway bill, and IATA announced that the e-AWB format will be the default from January 1, 2019, as evidenced by their announcement.
Filling of Airway Bill
Shipping agents and freight forwarders are responsible for completing airway bills. It will still be necessary for you to provide the freight forwarder with a Shipper’s Letter of Instruction which authorizes them to sign your AWB for you.
With all customs documentation, accuracy is crucial, so a forwarder will ensure your AWB is filled out correctly. Improper information on the form may render you, as the shipper, liable for any damage endured by airlines or individuals.
Your carrier will fill out the AWB on your behalf if you don’t use the services of an agent. All you need to do is sign the completed document. Please find below a summary of the details your airline or forwarder needs to complete your airway bill:
Shipper’s Details:
Company Name
Telephone Number
Full Address of Business Head Office
VAT or Tax ID
Recipient’s Details:
Their name
Their telephone number
Their address (and delivery address if different)
Their TAX ID code
Shipment Details:
Description of the nature of the goods
Number of packages
Type of goods being shipped
Value of the cargo
Weight and dimensions of the freight
Billing Details:
The account number of the shipper must be included if the shipper pays the carrier’s freight charges
The receiver of the goods needs to give their account number if they are paying
Airway Bills - An Air-Freight Essential
A bill of lading is a crucial air freight document that has multiple uses for shippers, carriers, and recipients alike. Before you authorize the freight forwarder to sign on your behalf or sign yourself, make sure the information is correct, whether it comes from the forwarder or the carrier.