1800 621 036

Air Transportation: how it works

When you have a business in Australia and you need to transport your product across the country you might want to look into air transportation for transporting your cargo quickly and affordably. If you are not sure how the air transportation works, never fear that is why we have made this easy to follow and understand post on how air transportation works. First, you have to decide which the best method for shipping is for you. You can ship with a passenger aircraft, a cargo aircraft or a combi aircraft.

  • Passenger aircraft – This is defined as the cargo area below passengers on the aircraft, it can also include "hand-carry services" and these are usually used for shipments that need to be delivered quickly.
  • Cargo aircraft – This type is also known as Freighters and this is where the cargo is stored on the main deck of the aircraft. No passengers are on the plane just the cargo and flight crew.
  • Combi aircraft – This type is where cargo is stored on the main deck of the aircraft behind the passengers’ area.

Besides just knowing which way to ship you also need to be aware of the different companies that ship, now this will vary depending on your location and the method you plan to ship.

  • Postal companies who use airmail – Good for packages and envelopes up to 30kg
  • International Courier companies – Good for packages and envelopes up to 75kg, this is generally outsourced to airlines.
  • International Express companies – Good for packages and envelopes up to 75kg, this is generally done with those who operate their own aircraft.
  • Forwarders – Good for packages and envelopes that are over 75kg and will fit into the aircraft.

Air transport is typically a more expensive method of shipping but it is the fastest. Usually, air transport is used for valuable cargo or cargo that is time sensitive. Some examples of good things for air transport include (but are not limited to...)

  • Airmail
  • Live animals
  • Human organs or human remains
  • Medical supplies
  • Express packages
  • Perishable goods
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Valuables (money, gold bars, diamonds)
  • Technical supplies
  • Luxury consumer goods