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How To Calculate Air Freight: A Step-by-Step Guide

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By Margaret Bux
clock 5 min

Understanding how to calculate air freight, including determining the correct volume weight and chargeable weight, is crucial for managing freight shipping costs effectively. In this guide, we will demystify the process, offering step-by-step instructions on how to calculate air freight volume weight, dimensional weight, and chargeable weight for air freight. 

Understanding Air Freight Basics

Importance of Accurate Calculations

Accurate air freight calculations are essential for several reasons. Firstly, they directly impact your freight shipping costs. Miscalculations can lead to unexpected expenses, affecting your budget and profit margins. Secondly, accurate calculations ensure compliance with airline regulations and prevent potential delays or rejections. Incorrectly declared weights can result in fines or additional charges. Understanding how to calculate air freight volume weight, dimensional weight, and chargeable weight for air freight also allows you to optimise space utilisation, enhancing overall efficiency. This knowledge also helps in negotiating better rates with carriers, as you can accurately compare quotes. 

Key Terms in Air Freight Calculation

Understanding the terminology used in air freight calculations is crucial for accurate and efficient freight management. Here are some important terms:

  • Actual Weight: This refers to the physical weight of the shipment in kilogrammes.
  • Volume Weight (Dimensional Weight): This metric takes into account the space the shipment occupies and is expressed in kilogrammes.
  • ULD (Unit Load Device): A container or pallet used to load freight, mail, and luggage for easy handling onto an aircraft. It helps optimise the space utilisation of the cargo hold.
  • Tare Weight: The weight of an empty ULD or packaging without the cargo.
  • Chargeable Weight: The greater of the actual weight or the volume weight, used to determine freight shipping costs.
  • Pivot Weight: This is a critical weight point used by carriers for pricing purposes. Freight above the pivot weight may incur additional charges.
plane being loaded with cargo

Calculating Volume Weight for Air Freight

Calculating air freight volume weight is a straightforward yet essential process. The volume weight, also known as dimensional weight, accounts for the space a shipment occupies in an aircraft. To calculate this, you need to measure the shipment’s dimensions in centimetres: length, width, and height. Once you have these measurements, use the formula: (Length x Width x Height) / 6000. The result will give you the volume weight in kilogrammes. 

For example, if a package measures 100 cm x 50 cm x 40 cm, the volume weight would be (100 x 50 x 40) / 6000 = 33.33 kg. 

How to Calculate Chargeable Weight for Air Freight

Calculating chargeable weight for air freight involves comparing the actual weight and the dimensional weight of a shipment. The chargeable weight is the higher of the two and is used by carriers to determine freight shipping costs. Follow these steps to calculate it:

  1. Determine the actual weight of the shipment in kilogrammes.
  2. Calculate the dimensional weight using the formula: (Length x Width x Height) / 6000.
  3. Compare the actual weight and the dimensional weight.

For example, if your shipment’s actual weight is 25 kg and its dimensional weight, calculated as (100 cm x 50 cm x 40 cm) / 6000, is 33.33 kg, the chargeable weight will be 33.33 kg. 

Impact on Freight Shipping Costs

The chargeable weight has a significant impact on freight shipping costs. Airlines use the higher of the actual or dimensional weight to determine how much a shipment will cost to transport. This means that even if a shipment is light but takes up considerable space, you may incur higher charges based on the dimensional weight. 

To avoid unexpected expenses and optimise shipping costs, Clarke Global Logistics can support with any and all air freight management queries, and guide you through the complexities of air freight calculations, from accurately determining volume and chargeable weight to optimising space utilisation.

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