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The Guide to Understanding the AIR WAYBILL of China Air Freight Forwarder
What is an Air Waybill (AWB)?
An AWB represents the final receipt of a shipment, and it is issued by the air cargo carrier. It contains all of the important information about the shipment.
It is a non-negotiable document that acts both as delivery instructions, and as a contract of carriage.
What is the purpose of an Air Waybill?
The carrier creates it to let the shipper know that they have received the goods.
The Air Waybill number can be used to track and check the status of shipments along the way.
An AWB looks like this:
air waybillWhat information does an Air Waybill contain?
It has the following:
The shipper's name and address
The receiver’s name and address
The liability limits
The claims procedures
The destination airport
Cargo details (value of goods, dimensions, weight)
When do you need to present an AWB?
At the destination, the air cargo carrier will release the goods to the named consignee mentioned on the AWB without requiring original documents.
Can I track my air shipment using the AWB number?
Yes! You can use the Airway Bill number to track your shipment.
The format of an AWB number looks like this: 123-12345678
Where can I track my shipment?
You can track it on the freight carrier’s website, or you can use a tool like this.
Is an AWB the same as a Bill of Lading?
No, they are different.
- With a Bill of Lading, the receiver MUST submit the original documents of the shipment to access to the goods.
- With an Air Waybill, the receiver just needs to identify themselves but DOES NOT
need to submit the original documents to access the goods.
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