Documentation
Air Waybill (AWB)
The contract of carriage for air freight. Unlike a negotiable bill of lading, an air waybill is not a document of title. Used with airline and freight forwarder air shipments.
In depth
Air waybills are non-negotiable: they evidence the contract of carriage but do not grant title like a negotiable B/L. Cargo is released to the named consignee on the AWB. Airlines and forwarders issue AWBs with IATA-standard formats for e-freight compliance.
Key points
- Not a document of title: faster release than ocean originals
- MAWB (airline) and HAWB (forwarder) mirror MBL/HBL structure
- Chargeable weight rules drive air pricing
- Dangerous goods and lithium battery rules are strict on air