Simon McKeever
Chief Executive, Irish Exporters Association
Air freight can allow for swift, reliable international shipping. It is ideal for time-sensitive cargo, but there are increased costs and weather disruptions to consider.
For businesses that send cargo internationally, air freight offers faster shipping and flexible transportation. It is especially useful for time-sensitive cargo or urgent cargo that could lose some or all its value if not delivered quickly.
However, there are some negatives compared to road or ocean transportation, such as increased costs, limited cargo types and weights, as well as the role weather can play in hampering airport schedules.
Speed and flexibility of air freight
The biggest advantage when shipping via air cargo is speed — sometimes as fast as same-day delivery. Reliable arrival and departure times provide assurances to businesses in a hurry to get their goods where they need to go. For companies that deal with time-sensitive or perishable goods, such as pharmaceuticals and perishables, air freight might offer them the best option.
A lot of air cargo is carried in the belly-hold of passenger aircraft.
Weather, congestion and disruption considerations
The norm is that the large operating ark of airlines provides air cargo destinations to a huge number of global locations — smoothly, efficiently and rapidly. However, aircraft are not immune to inclement weather conditions, traffic congestion, industrial action at airports and, increasingly, forced re-routing because of armed conflict.
Moreover, with a lot of routes using a hub and spoke transfer system, this increases the potential number of disruption locations en route to the final destination, meaning short delays can lead to big headaches. It is worth noting that a lot of air cargo is carried in the belly-hold of passenger aircraft.
Tracking capabilities and higher emissions
Most air freight service providers offer online-based tracking, which allows you to check the status of your cargo in real time — from departure point to arrival. Shipping by air is fast, easy to track and efficient; but it does come at an increased cost.
Aircraft are also one of the most fuel-intensive transportation modes, which means emissions are a lot higher in air freight compared to road, rail and ocean freight.
With these pros and cons, businesses can assess whether shipping by air is right for their operations and needs.
