Air waybill
AWB
An air waybill is the non-negotiable transport document for air cargo. It serves as a receipt for the goods and evidence of the contract of carriage.
What it is
An air waybill, or AWB, is the document that accompanies goods carried by air. It is a receipt from the carrier for the cargo and evidence of the contract of carriage between shipper and carrier. Unlike a negotiable ocean bill of lading, an air waybill is not a document of title: cargo is delivered to the named consignee without presentation of an original.
How it works in practice
A master air waybill is issued by or on behalf of the airline, usually to a forwarder, and carries the airline's prefix and serial number. A house air waybill is issued by the forwarder to each shipper within a consolidation. Both state the airports of departure and destination, pieces, gross weight, dimensions, chargeable weight, rate, and whether charges are prepaid or collect. Chargeable weight is the greater of actual and volumetric weight.
Why it matters
Because air cargo moves quickly, the air waybill data often reaches destination before the goods, and airlines and customs authorities increasingly receive it electronically. Mistakes in pieces, weight or consignee details lead to delayed release or reweigh charges. For a forwarder, the gap between the master air waybill cost and the house air waybill charges is the basis of the margin on each consolidation.
In Sailix
How Sailix handles it
Sailix produces house air waybills in its forwarding workspace. The form records the air carrier, AWB and MAWB numbers, origin and delivery agents, airports, routing and flight details, handling and accounting information, and declared values. Grids hold pieces, gross weight, rate class and chargeable weight, cargo dimensions with volumetric weight, and other charges due to the carrier or agent.
- House air waybillPrepare a House AWB with parties, routing, cargo and dimension lines, chargeable weight and the prepaid and collect charge summary.
- Forwarding job managementMaintain Booking holds the forwarding job: service, parties, routing, cargo, containers and estimates, with job status and documents alongside.
Related terms
- Freight forwarderA freight forwarder is a company that arranges the transport of goods for shippers. It books carriers and handles documents, customs and related services.
- House bill of ladingA house bill of lading is the bill a freight forwarder or NVOCC issues to the actual shipper. It covers cargo that moves under a carrier's master bill.
- Master bill of ladingA master bill of lading is the bill an ocean carrier issues to a freight forwarder or NVOCC. It covers a shipment that may contain several house bills.
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