What is an air waybill?

What is an air waybill?

An airway bill or AWB is a document that accompanies goods shipped by an international courier, which allow for tracking. It serves as a receipt of goods by an airline, as well as a contract of carriage between the shipper and the carrier. It’s a legal agreement that’s enforceable by law.

What are the types of airways bills?

There are two types of Airway Bills- Neutral AWBs and Airline Specific AWBs. Neutral AWBs don’t have a logo, while the airline-specific AWBs must have a carrier’s name and details like head office address, logo, website as well as an AWB number.

What is the importance of an air waybill?

This important document evidences the contract between the shipper and carrier(s) for carriage of goods over routes of the carrier(s). The AWB combines several purposes: Documentary evidence of the conclusion of the Contract of Carriage. Proof of receipt of the goods for shipment.

How do air waybills work?

An Air Waybill or AWB is a type of bill of lading document that accompanies goods shipped by international air courier services to provide important details about the shipment. During the shipment process, a copy of this bill is provided to every party involved so that they can document and track the shipment.

Is airway bill same as bill of lading?

An air waybill (AWB) or air consignment note is a receipt issued by an international airline for goods and an evidence of the contract of carriage, but it is not a document of title to the goods ( unlike Bill of lading which is a document of title of the goods). Hence, the air waybill is non-negotiable.

How do you read an airway bill?

What is AWB and Hawb?

Airway bill is a document, which is a proof of receipt of goods from shipper issued by air carrier. If a freight forwarder or consolidator involved in a shipment, such forwarder issues a document of receipt of goods to the final shipper which is called House airway bill (HAWB).

Who can issue an AWB?

In such a situation, two types of air waybills are issued. They are: House Air Waybill (HAWB): This is issued by the freight forwarder to the exporter on receipt of goods for transportation by air. In this document, the exporter is named as the shipper and the importer as the consignee.

Can air waybill be switched?

Who can request to switch bills? The switch bill can be issued only if requested by the cargo owner or principal. In other words, since the bill of lading represents ownership, only the company holding the full set of documents can ask for switching bills.

What is a AWB shipment?

What is an air waybill (AWB)? An air waybill, also known as a consignment note, dispatch note or waybill, is a contract between the shipper and the carrier. It provides key information for the shipper and is also used for tracking the shipment and contains barcodes to identify the shipment electronically.

How is AWB number calculated?

Air Waybill Number The AWB number has 11 digits and 3 parts. The check digit is derived by dividing the 7 digit Serial Number by 7. The remainder determines the Check Digit. Example: Serial Number 8114074 divided by 7 is 1159153 with remainder 3.

What is ISS in air freight?

Effective 1 September 2013, some air freight carriers will apply Fuel Surcharge (FSC) and Security Surcharge (ISS) to Chargeable Weight for all shipments ex-Europe.