Backlog
Undelivered cargo or mail, held back because of weather or embargoes or flight cancellations.

Bank Shipment
A shipment where the consignee is identified as bank and the actual consignee is listed under " Also notify".
(It is the carrier's responsibility to withhold delivery until the bank has authorized a release in writing or by fax).

Belly
The space below the main deck of an aircraft used for carrying baggage, mail or cargo.

Block Time
Space authorized by customs officials as suitable for storing uncleared consignments.

Bonded Area
A person or organization authorized to act on behalf of a carrier.

Booking
A request for cargo space on an aircraft.

Break Bulk Agent
An agent who breaks consolidations into their individual part.

Bulk Cargo
Loose cargo not loaded on a pallet or in a container.

Bonded Warehouse
The Customs Service authorizes bonded warehouses for storage or manufacture of goods on which payment of duties is deferred until the goods enter the Customs Territory.
The goods are not subject to duties if re-shipped to foreign points.

Break Bulk (B/B)
For consolidated air freight, it is moved under one MAWB and each consignment designated to specific consignee or recipient is under one HAWB. When freight forwarder receives the consolidated cargo from carrier, they will break the consolidation apart per HAWB then proceed customs clearance along with associated shipping and import documents. Such Break-Bulk is normally handled by airlines or their contracted ground handling agent.

Cargo
Any property carried or to be carried in an aircraft other than mail or other property carried under the terms of an international postal convention, baggage or property of the carrier; provided that baggage moving under an Air Waybill is cargo.

Cargo Charges Correction Advice (CCA)
A document used for the notification of changes to charges and/or method of payment inserted on an AWB.

Cargo Community System (CCS)
A means of electronically transmitting messages between airline and cargo agents member.

Cargo Ground Handling Agent
An authorized agent acting on behalf of carrier on manipulating freight.

Certificate of Origin
Document to prove the place of growth, production or manufacture of goods specified thereon.

Charge
An amount to be paid for carriage of goods based on the applicable rate for such carriage, or an amount to be paid for a special or incidental service in connection with the carriage of goods.

Charges Collect (CC)
The charges entered on the Air Waybill or shipment record for collection from the consignee against delivery of the shipment.

Charges Prepaid (PP)
The charges entered on the Air Waybill for payment by the shipper.

Charter
An aircraft or flight operating under a charter contract.

Charter Contract
An agreement where a carrier places the entire capacity of an aircraft at a shipper's disposal.

Claims
A request for refunds or compensation (by shippers or their agents) for loss or damage to cargo due to reasons within the control of the carrier.

Classification
A listing of articles in classes for rating purposes.

Commercial Invoice
Written record of transaction between seller and buyer, listing agreed prices and other charges; outlines goods sold, weights, terms of sale, shipping marks, etc.

Customs Broker
An agent designated to perform inbound customs clearance for the consignee.

Customs Clearance
Customs formalities to be completed at origin, in transit and at destination.

Carnet
A customs document permitting the holder to carry or send merchandise temporarily into certain foreign countries for display, demonstration or other purposes without paying import duties or posting bonds.

Combi Aircraft
An aircraft configured to carry both passengers and cargo on the Main Deck.

Commission
A percentage of weight charge shown on the Air Waybill, paid by airline to its agent for services performed.

Commodity
Cargo contents, e.g. leathers etc.

Compartment
A space designated within a hold.

Conditions of Carriage
The terms and conditions established by a carrier in respect to its carriage.

Conditions of Contract
The terms and conditions shown on the reverse of the Air Waybill.

Consignee
The person or firm whose name appears on the Air Waybill as the party to whom the goods are to be delivered by the carrier.

Consolidation
Different consignments grouped together and covered by one Air Waybill (Master Air Waybill) with separate House Air Waybill issued by the forwarder for each individual consignment.

Consolidator
A person or organization performing a consolidation.

Consular Invoice
A prescribed form of invoice required by a transit or destination country. Usually legalized by the consulate of that country concerned for a fee.

Container
A certified container that interfaces directly with an aircraft restraint system and meets all restraint requirements without the use of supplementary equipment.

Contents
A description of goods as declared by the shipper in the "nature and quantity of goods" box of the Air Waybill.

Contoured
A shaped unit load device closely fitted to suit the aircraft envelope and to utilize the maximum space available.

Consignment
Delivery of merchandise from an exporter (the consignor) to an agent (the consignee) under agreement that the agent sell the merchandise for the account of the exporter. The consignor retains title to the goods until sold. The consignee sells the goods for commission and remits the net proceeds to the consignor.

Consolidation
In order to handle small lot of consignment efficiently and competitively, freight forwarder usually put many consignments into one lot then tender to carrier for forwarding. In this case, each consignment will be shipped with one HAWB respectively and all of them will be under one master AWB.

Customs
The government authorities designated to collect duties levied by a country on imports and exports.

Customs Broker
An individual or company licensed by the government to enter and clear goods through Customs. The U.S. Customs Service defines a Customs Broker, as any person who is licensed in accordance with Part III of Title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations (Customs regulations) to transact Customs business on behalf of others. Customs business is limited to those activities involving transactions with Customs concerning the entry and admissibility of merchandise; its classification and valuation; the payment of duties, taxes, or other charges assessed or collected by Customs upon merchandise by reason of its importation, or the refund, rebate, or drawback thereof.

Customs Clearance
The procedures involved in getting cargo released by Customs through designated formalities such as presenting import license/permit, payment of import duties and other required documentations by the nature of the cargo such as FCC or FDA approval.

Customs Invoice
A document, required by some foreign countries' customs officials to verify the value, quantity, and nature of the shipment, describing the shipment of goods and showing information such as the consignor, consignee, and value of the shipment.

Damage
Harm done to goods during transportation that impairs their value or usefulness.

Damage Report
A form to be completed when goods are damaged.

Dangerous Goods
Special Cargo

Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR)
Regulations listing all dangerous goods and giving detailed instructions regarding packing and handling of these materials.

Declared Value for Carriage
The value of goods declared to the carrier by the shipper for the purpose of determining charges or of establishing the limit of the carrier's liability for loss, damage or delay. It is also the basis for possible applicable valuation charges.

Delivery Receipt
A receipt signed by the consignee as proof that the goods have been delivered to him.

Density
The relationship of weight to volume in a unit i.e. lb per ft3 or kg per m3

Destination
The ultimate stopping place of the goods according to the contract of carriage.

Dimension (DIMS)
Length, width and height of items measured in centimeters or inches used to determine applicable rates and for general information.

Diplomatic Bag/Pouch
Diplomatic Bag or Pouch contains official correspondence that moves between a government and its accredited representatives abroad, or between the mentioned representatives, supported by a Declaration of Diplomatic Immunity covered by the IATA air waybill.

Diversion
A change to the planned destination during the flight.

Dolly
A towed vehicle with a roller platform for hauling ULDs between the cargo terminal and the airplane.

Dangerous Goods
Commodities classified by IATA according to its nature and characteristic in terms of the effect of its danger to carrier's flying safety.

DDP
Deliver Duty Paid.

DDU
Deliver Duty Unpaid.

Dimensional Weight
Also called measurement weight. This is the size of consignment calculated by total square feet by 6000. Carrier charge for freight based on the dimensional weight or actual gross weight whichever is higher.

Direct Ship
Ship without consolidation and under one MAWB ie non-consolidation.

Drawback
Drawback is a rebate by a government, in whole or in part, of customs duties assessed on imported merchandise that is subsequently exported. Drawback regulations and procedures vary among countries.

Duty
A tax imposed on imports by the customs authority of a country. Duties are generally based on the value of the goods, some other factors such as weight or quantity (specific duties), or a combination of value and other factors (compound duties).

EDI For Administration, Commerce and Transport (EDIFACT)
Electronic exchange of pre-defined messages, structured according to agreed standards between computer systems, with no manual intervention.

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
Electronic messages between two or more parties.

Embargo
Refusal by a carrier to accept goods for transportation, usually applies over a limited period.

EDI
EDI, Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce, and Transportation, is an international syntax used in the interchange of electronic data. Customs uses EDI to interchange data with the importing trade community.

ETA
Estimated Time of Arrival. Then, It normally takes 3 hours for carriers to Break Bulk then ready to be picked up by forwarders along with customs release notification.

ETD
Estimated Time of Departure. The cut-off time for carriers' cargo ramp handling is normally two hours ahead of ETD. However, the freight forwarders' consolidation cut-off time may vary depending on each forwarder's operations respectively.

Flight number
The designation of a flight.

Forwarder
An agent or company who performs services (such as receiving, trans-shipping or delivering) designed to assure and facilitate the passage of goods.

Free port
A defined area where goods are received, stored and shipped free of customs duty.

Freight
Any property carried or to be carried in an aircraft other than mail or other property carried under the terms of an international postal convention, baggage or property of the carrier; provided that baggage moving under an Air Waybill is cargo.

Freighter
An aircraft designed solely for cargo carriage.

Freight Carriage ... paid to
Like C & F, "Freight/Carriage paid to ..." means that the seller pays the freight for the carriage of the goods to the named destination. However, the risk of loss of or damage to the goods, as well as of any cost increases, is transferred from the seller to the buyer when the goods have been delivered into the custody of the first carrier and not at the ship's rail. The term can be used for all modes of transport including multi-modal operations and container or "roll on-roll off" traffic by trailer and ferries. When the seller has to furnish a bill of lading, waybill or carrier's receipt, he duly fulfills this obligation by presenting such a document issued by the person with whom he has contracted for carriage to the named destination. (Also see incoterms)

Freight Carriage ... and Insurance paid to
This term is the same as "Freight/Carriage Paid to ..." but with the addition that the seller has to procure transport insurance against the risk of loss of damage to the goods during the carriage. The seller contracts with the insurer and pays the insurance premium.

IATA Cargo Agent
An agent approved by IATA and registered in the IATA Cargo Agency List. This enables the agent, upon authorization of the IATA carrier, to receive shipments, execute air waybills and collect charges.

ICAO
Abbreviation for International Civil Aviation Organization with responsible for implementing security rules for civil aviation.

Interline Carriage
Transportation of goods from origin to destination by two or more carriers.

IATA
International Air Transport Association (IATA), established in 1945, is a trade association serving airlines, passengers, shippers, travel agents, and governments. The association promotes safety, standardization in forms (baggage checks, tickets, weigh bills), and aids in establishing international airfares. IATA headquarter is in Geneva, Switzerland.

IATA Designator
Two-character Airline identification assigned by IATA in accordance with provisions of Resolution 762. It is for use in reservations, timetables, tickets, tariffs as well as air waybill.

Import Certificate
The import certificate is a means by which the government of the country of ultimate destination exercises legal control over the internal channeling of the commodities covered by the import certificate.

Import License
A document required and issued by some national governments authorizing the importation of goods.Also referred as import permit. With such documentation, customs clearance can be conducted.

Import Restrictions
Import restriction, applied by a country with an adverse trade balance (or for other reasons), reflect a desire to control the volume of goods coming into the country from other countries may include the imposition of tariffs or import quotas, restrictions on the amount of foreign currency available to cover imports, a requirement for import deposits, the imposition of import surcharges, or the prohibition of various categories of imports.

Incoterms
Maintained by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), this codification of terms is used in foreign trade contracts to define which parties incur the costs and at what specific point the costs are incurred. (also see incoterm section)

Insurance Certificate
This certificate is used to assure the consignee that insurance is provided to cover loss of or damage to the cargo while in transit.

Intermediate Consignee
An intermediate consignee is the bank, forwarding agent, or other intermediary (if any) that acts in a foreign country as an agent for the exporter, the purchaser, or the ultimate consignee, for the purpose of effecting delivery of the export to the ultimate consignee.

Intermodal
Movement of goods by more than one mode of transport, ie. airplane, truck, railroad and ship.

Last Carrier
The participating carrier over whose air routes the last section of carriage under the air waybill is undertaken or performed; or for the purposes of determining the responsibility for collecting charges collect and disbursement amounts, means the airline which delivers the consignment to the consignee whether or not that airline has participated in the carriage.

Letter of Credit (L/C)
A letter from one bank to another bank, by which a third party, usually a customer is able to obtain money.

Liability Limitation
Liability for loss, delay, or damage to cargo is limited unless a higher value is declared in advance and additional charges are paid. The liability limit is USD20/gross kilogram or equivalent.

Live Animal Regulations (LAR)
IATA publication with regulations governing the transportation of live animals. Special Cargo Live Animal

Loose cargo
Loose cargo not loaded on a pallet or in a container.

LD3
Lower deck type 3 container. This is the most commonly used container in passenger aircraft.

Lower Deck
The compartment below the Main Deck (also synonymous with lower hold and lower lobe).

Pallet
Fleet/ULD

Pallet Net
A special designed net used to secure goods on a pallet.

Part Shipment
A shipment with is not transported in total but in two or more parts.

Participant
Any party mentioned on the Air Waybill, includes the shipper, agent and carrier.

Proforma Invoice
An invoice that is sent in advance of goods supplied.

Proration
Division of joint rates or charges or revenue on an agreed basis between the carriers concerned.

Packing List
A shipping document issued by shipper to carrier, Customs and consignee serving the purposes of identifying detail information of package count, products count, measurement of each package, weight of each package, etc.

POD
Proof Of Delivery, or a cargo/package receipt with the signature of recipient. This term has been widely used in courier and express industry and also gaining more attention and implementation at air cargo industry..

Pro Forma Invoice
An invoice provided by a supplier prior to the shipment of merchandise, informing the buyer of the kinds and quantities of goods to be sent, their value, and important specifications (weight, size, and similar characteristics). When an importer apply's for Letter of Credit as the means of payment, a Pro Forma Invoice from the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit, usually the exporter, is required by the L/C issuing bank.

Ramp
Parking area for aircraft where loading, unloading, refueling, parking and maintenance can be carried out.

Rate
The amount charged by a carrier for carriage of a unit of weight or volume or nature of goods.

Ready for Carriage
The condition in which a shipment must be delivered by an IATA Cargo Agent to an IATA carrier. The shipment and accompanying documents must be ready for immediate transportation.

Rerouting
The route altered from the originally specified on the Air Waybill.

Reservation
See Booking

Restricted Articles
Special Cargo Dangerous Goods

Road Feeder Service (RFS)
Truck operating as scheduled or non-scheduled flights.

Routing
The route of the air transportation as specified on the Air Waybill.

Scheduled Time of Arrival/Departure (STA/STD)
The departure/arrival times as published in official program.

Service Cargo
The cargo of the airline company or airline employee, which is transported free of charge or under discount on their route-net.

Shipment
One or more pieces of goods accepted by the carrier from one shipper at one time and at one address, receipted for in one lot and moving on one air waybill to one consignee at one destination address.

Shipper
The person or organization whose name appears on the Air Waybill as the party contracting with the carriers for carriage of goods.

Shipping Documents
Documents other than transportation receipts or transportation contracts, required to enable shipment to be forwarded or received.

Short-shipped
Cargo included in a flight manifest but not loaded onto the aircraft.

Shortage
A loss or reduction i.e. a loss in weight compared with the weight originally stated on the air waybill or loss of part of a consignment upon delivery at destination.

Slimbody Aircraft (S/B)
See Narrowbody Aircraft

Slot
The allotted take-off and landing time.
The timing of landing and take-off allocation.

Special Cargo
A consignment that contains cargo which requires special handling according to a nature of goods.

Surcharge
Additional or extra charges.

Shipping Mark
The letters, numbers or other symbols placed on the outside of cargo to facilitate identification.

Shipping Weight
Shipping weight represents the gross weight in kilograms of shipments, including the weight of moisture content, wrappings, crates, boxes, and containers (other than cargo vans and similar substantial outer containers).

Tare Weight
Weight of the empty ULDs (pallet or container)

Tariff
The published rates, charges and/or related conditions or carriage of a carrier.

Terminal
Either end of a carrier line, e.g. airports are often referred to as terminals.

The Air Cargo Tariff (TACT)
An official publications published by IATA. The publication consists of 3 volumes:

TACT Rules Book (Orange): General rules, standards information
TACT Rates Book (Green): Rates for worldwide except North America
TACT Rates Book (Red): Rates for North America


Trace
To try locate freight or an Air Waybill missing on arrival.

Transfer
Transference of cargo between one (on) flight to another flight of the same or connecting carrier.

Transfer Cargo
Cargo arriving at a point by one carrier and continuing by another carrier.

Transferring Carrier
The carrier who transfers a consignment to another carrier at a transfer point.

Transshipment
Transfer of cargo from one aircraft to another.

Transit
Goods arriving at a point and continuing on the same flight.

TACT
TACT stands for The Air Cargo Tariff. It is published by IAP -- International Airlines Publications, an IATA company.

Tare Weight
The weight of a ULD and tie down materials without the weight of the goods it contains.

Temporary Importation under Bond
When an importer makes entry of articles and claimed to be exempt from duty under Chapter 98, Subchapter XIII, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, a bond is posted with Customs which guarantees that these items will be exported within a specified time frame (usually within one year from the date of importation). Failure to export these items makes the importer liable for the payment of liquidated damages for breach of the bond conditions.

Transshipment
Transshipment refers to the act of sending an exported product through an intermediate country before routing it to the country intended to be its final destination.

UN Number
The four-digit number assigned by the United Nations committee, identifying dangerous goods.

Unaccompanied Baggage
Baggage carried as cargo.

Unit Load Device (ULD)
A pallet or container Fleet/ULD

Unitization
Consolidation of multiple packages into a registered.

ULD Universal Time Co-ordinate (UTC)
The meridian from which all time zones are calculated (Greenwich England) for instance; local time Bangkok is 7 hours ahead of GMT (GMT+7).

ULD
Unit Load Device, Any type of container, container with integral pallet, aircraft container or aircraft pallet.

Ultimate Consignee
The ultimate consignee is the person located abroad who is the true party in interest, receiving the export for the designated end-use.