A Practical Working Reference
Understand the language behind every quote and booking.
Air freight terms appear in quotations, booking confirmations, airline schedules, cargo documents and terminal instructions.
This glossary focuses on the practical terminology freight forwarders encounter during rate sourcing, cargo acceptance, consolidation and airline booking.
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Find a term or abbreviation.
Showing 15 glossary terms
All terms
A
A Terms
Weight, documents and rate structure
Weight
Actual Weight
The physical gross weight of a shipment measured on a scale. It is compared against volumetric weight to determine the chargeable weight.
Document
Air Waybill (AWB)
The primary document for air cargo. It is the contract of carriage between shipper and airline, a receipt for the goods, and a customs declaration. An AWB is non-negotiable.
Pricing
All-In Rate
A quoted air freight rate that bundles all surcharges into a single figure. It is easier to compare against other options than a net rate with surcharges listed separately.
C
C Terms
Aircraft restrictions and rating weight
Aircraft
CAO — Cargo Aircraft Only
Cargo that can only fly on dedicated freighter aircraft. CAO handling is required for certain dangerous goods that are not permitted in the hold of a passenger aircraft.
Rating
Chargeable Weight
The weight an airline uses to calculate the freight charge. It is whichever is greater: actual weight or volumetric weight.
F
F Terms
Flight deadlines and fuel charges
Operations
Flight Cutoff
The deadline by which cargo must be delivered to the airline terminal to make a specific flight. Miss it and the cargo waits for the next available service.
Surcharge
FSC — Fuel Surcharge
A variable surcharge airlines add to cover jet fuel costs. It is adjusted periodically and is usually quoted per kilogram.
G
G and H Terms
Airline representation and house documents
Airline sales
GSA — General Sales Agent
A company that sells cargo capacity on behalf of an airline in a particular market. A GSA often manages an airline's commercial activity where the carrier has no local sales office.
Document
HAWB — House Air Waybill
An air waybill issued by a freight forwarder to the shipper for an individual shipment. It sits under the Master Air Waybill issued by the airline for the full consolidation.
M
M Terms
Master documentation
Document
MAWB — Master Air Waybill
The air waybill issued by the airline to the freight forwarder covering the entire consolidated shipment. Individual shipments inside the consolidation each have their own HAWB.
S
S Terms
Security charges
Surcharge
SSC — Security Surcharge
A charge covering enhanced security screening requirements for air cargo.
T
T and U Terms
Terminal charges and aircraft loading units
Handling
THC — Terminal Handling Charge
Fees for cargo handling at the airline terminal at origin, destination, or both.
Equipment
ULD — Unit Load Device
The standardised containers and pallets used to load cargo onto aircraft. Different aircraft types use different ULD sizes.
V
V and W Terms
Dimensional weight and rate thresholds
Weight
Volumetric Weight
A calculated weight based on cargo dimensions: length × width × height in centimetres, divided by 6000. It is used when cargo is large but light relative to its size.
Pricing
WBR — Weight Break Rate
Lower per-kilogram rates offered by airlines for shipments above certain weight thresholds.
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Where These Terms Appear
From rate search to airline acceptance.
The glossary connects directly to the steps freight forwarders manage during a typical air cargo shipment.
01
Rate Search
Chargeable weight, all-in rates, FSC, SSC and weight breaks affect the quoted amount.
02
Booking
Flight cutoff, cargo acceptance and aircraft restrictions affect whether the shipment can move.
03
Documentation
AWB, MAWB and HAWB identify the shipment and its place inside a consolidation.
04
Aircraft Loading
ULD type and aircraft configuration determine how cargo is loaded and secured.
Put the terminology into practice.
Search live airline options using the shipment parameters, weights and routing information that drive air cargo rates.