Air freight is defined as the transportation of goods by air and a lot of people prefer to use this mode of transportation as it is one of the safest in the world. Whether you are transporting household goods and effects or large cargo such as large equipment then you may want to consider shipping your goods via air freight and below are some of the advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of air freight
1. Goods transported via airfreight will be transported fast and in a short period of time. This is especially good if you need your cargo delivered in a specific time frame which makes it a really great mode of transport
2. Air freight is great if you are transporting cargo such as perishable goods or foods like seafood which need a very short transportation time so as to retain their freshness. With foods such as seafood you will however need to consider how you will package them e.g. a container with a regulated and cold temperature so that the food stays fresh
3. Air freight has a more global reach as compared to sea freight or container freight which means that goods are likely to reach any destination anywhere in the world and in the shortest time possible. Airplanes are able to reach places or destinations that ships at sea cannot thus reaching more and more people
4. It is easier to track cargo that is being transported via air freight because you will be able to monitor when a plane comes and leaves as airplane schedules tend to be a lot more accurate than shipping schedules. This also helps to lessen issues such as customs duties and you may have the advantage of not having to rely on warehousing costs because you will know exactly when your package will be delivered so you can collect it as and when it arrives at your destination
5. Air freight is considered the safest mode of transporting your goods and services as there are less likely to be any crashes or damages to your cargo. Cargo is also less likely to be damaged because it will not be handled as much as if it is being transported via sea freight or cargo freight
Disadvantages of air freight
1. The biggest disadvantage of using air freight is that it is the most expensive way of transporting cargo. There are calculations that airlines make when transporting cargo which include chargeable weight which means the actual weight and the volume weight better known as dimensional weight of the cargo will be scrutinized meaning a lot more may be charged. If your cargo is a high-value product then you may want to consider using air freight regardless of how much it will cost because you want it to be safe and delivered in the shortest time possible
2. Air freight has size and weight restrictions so you may not be able to transport all your cargo.
3. There may be delays to when your cargo will reach its destination due to weather constraints. Flights may be grounded due to really bad weather so air freight may be unreliable as the weather can be unpredictable
Why you should use air freight