

When merchandisers are looking to ship their products quickly, shipping by air is the preferred option. Knowing the rules and regulations is crucial to following them and having your shipments accepted. It may be the city, country, or carrier rules, IATA’s “ready for carriage” rules, airline, city and airport codes, or more. They are commonly known as “rates” and accessible via IATA Net Rates What Is an Air Cargo Rule?Īn air cargo rule is a specific criterion that must be met in the shipping and handling of air cargo. The actual rate paid a freight forwarder to an airline may differ from the tariff, and are bilaterally agreed & remain confidential. Tariffs will also be used for Airwaybill rating serve as a base for the calculation of special commodities (live animals human remains valuables vulnerables…) and be used for airline interlining activities, under the MITA convention. Airlines have to, for most countries, file tariffs with the relevant air transportation agency. They are openly accessible, and are also referred to as “General Cargo Rates (GCR), “TACT Tariffs”, or “TACT Rates”. What Is an Air Cargo Tariff?Īir cargo tariffs are determined by each air carrier, or at the industry level. But when referring to the goods being shipped air freight and air cargo are generally the same. When you talk about air freight and air cargo, the term can mean a difference in the merchandise being shipped versus money charged for the shipment. What Is the Difference Between Freight and Cargo?

It is a fairly straightforward term that is easily identifiable. There are no payment terms associated with cargo. The term cargo does not have as many uses as the term freight. Freight has numerous meanings within the shipping industry.Ĭargo is goods typically shipped by ship or aircraft. Freight can also refer not only to the product or merchandise but also to the amount due or the money charged for the shipment, also known as “freight costs”, or “freight charges”. When shipping air cargo, it is essential to understand the air cargo tariffs and rules and how they affect the air cargo cost as they apply to each consignment being shipped by air.Ĭompliance with government restrictions is critical for an air cargo shipment to be exported, imported or transshipped What Is Freight?įreight is a term used to describe goods shipped in bulk by sea, truck, train, or by air however, freight only applies to commercial goods and not mail. IATA’s TACT (The Air Cargo Tariff) helps streamline the rules on tariffs to understand the rules and costs more easily. When it comes to shipping air cargo, there is often more to know than shipping and handling regulations alone.
