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.
