Air freight
The AWB: what an air waybill is and does
The AWB is air cargo's transport document: contract, receipt and tracking number on one paper. It has one critical difference from an ocean B/L: it is not a document of title.
The AWB's three functions
- Evidence of the contract of carriage: shipper, carrier, destination and the conditions of carriage.
- Receipt: the condition and piece count in which the cargo was accepted.
- Tracking key: the 11-digit AWB number traces the shipment end to end in carrier systems.
How it differs from an ocean B/L
| AWB (air) | Bill of lading (sea) | |
|---|---|---|
| Document of title? | No; does not represent the goods | Depending on issuance, yes; negotiable |
| Release | To the named consignee against ID | Against presentation of an original (telex release aside) |
| In an L/C | Usable; read the bank's terms carefully | The classic security instrument |
This matters: because the AWB cannot be endorsed, it is not a tool for holding on to the goods until payment; manage payment risk with an L/C or insurance instead.
Master and House
When carriage runs through an agent, the airline issues a Master AWB to the agent and the agent issues you a House AWB. Your document is the House AWB; tracking uses both numbers. IATA has treated the e-AWB as the default contract of carriage on feasible lanes since 1 January 2019; paper AWBs are now the exception.
- Cargo programmes · IATA
- International Civil Aviation Organization · ICAO
External links are provided for information; their content belongs to the respective organisations.
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