Air freight is generally most suitable where the speed of delivery is important and the additional cost compared with slower methods of transportation can be justified.

It is commonly used for urgent orders, replacement parts, samples, high-value goods and smaller consignments where sea freight may take considerably longer.

However, air freight is not necessarily limited to small shipments. Larger consignments can also be transported by air where the dimensions, weight and type of goods are suitable and the cost can be justified.

If you are unsure whether air freight is the most appropriate option, contact a member of our Imports Team. We can discuss your shipment and compare the available transportation options.

Air freight charges are normally calculated using the chargeable weight of the shipment.

The airline will compare the actual gross weight of the goods with their volumetric weight and will normally charge whichever is greater. This means that a large but lightweight shipment may be charged at a higher weight than it actually weighs.

As a general rule, air freight volumetric weight is calculated using the dimensions of the packaged goods:

Length (cm) × Width (cm) × Height (cm) ÷ 6000

For example, a package measuring 100cm × 100cm × 100cm would have a volumetric weight of approximately 167 Kgs, even if its actual weight was considerably lower.

For this reason, we will normally ask for both the dimensions and gross weight of your packaged goods before providing an air freight quotation.

To provide an air freight quotation, we will normally need:

• Full collection address, if applicable
• Departure airport, if known
• Description of goods (please advise if hazardous)
• Number and type of packages
• Dimensions of each package
• Gross weight of each package
• When will your goods be ready to be shipped?
• Agreed Incoterm, if known
• UK delivery postcode

If you do not have all of this information yet, don't worry. We can often work with the information currently available to give you an indication of the likely costs and then refine the quotation once the final shipment details are known.

Air freight is considerably faster than sea freight, but the overall transit time will depend on the country and airport of departure, the airline, route and service being used.

The flight time itself is only part of the overall journey. Time also needs to be allowed for collection from the supplier, delivery to the departure airport, airline handling and security procedures, export formalities, Customs clearance after arrival in the UK and final delivery.

Once the flight arrives in the UK, time also needs to be allowed for the goods to be unloaded from the aircraft, transferred to the airport cargo shed and checked in. This will usually take around 4–6 hours after the flight arrives. It is not simply a case of the flight landing and the goods immediately being available for collection by the haulier.

Note: Although it does not happen frequently, occasionally part of an air freight shipment may be ‘short-shipped’, meaning that not all of the goods are loaded onto the same flight as originally planned. This will usually happen because there is insufficient cargo space available on the aircraft. If this happens, we will normally need to wait for all parts of the shipment to arrive at the final UK airport and be checked in before we can submit the Customs declaration and arrange the collection and delivery.

Even after the goods have been Customs cleared and released, some additional time may be required before they can physically be collected from the airport cargo shed. Cargo sheds generally operate a queuing system, with vehicles dealt with in turn. Even if your shipment consists of only a couple of small boxes being collected by a dedicated van, the driver may have to wait behind articulated lorries collecting larger shipments or delivering export cargo. At busy times, this can sometimes add several hours to the collection process.

If your shipment is particularly urgent, let us know when requesting your quotation. We can check the available services and advise you of the expected transit time.

Some goods are subject to restrictions when transported by air and may require additional documentation, specialist packaging or approval before they can be accepted by the airline.

This can include batteries, chemicals, aerosols, perfumes, paints and other products classified as Dangerous Goods. The requirements will depend on the type and classification of the goods and the airline being used.

If you are unsure whether your goods can be transported by air, send us the product details before arranging the shipment and we can check the available options.

When your shipment arrives at the UK airport, the cargo is unloaded from the aircraft and transferred to the airline or handling agent's cargo shed.

The shipment will then need to be Customs cleared before it can be released. Any applicable airline, handling or storage charges will also need to be dealt with before the goods can be collected.

Once released, the goods can be collected from the airport cargo shed and delivered to your preferred UK address.

Let UK Import Services take care of your air freight shipment, from collection and international transportation to Customs clearance and final delivery, while keeping you informed along the way.