Air Waybill
The transport document for goods shipped by air freight.
What It Is
An Air Waybill (AWB) is the contract of carriage between the shipper and the airline. Unlike a bill of lading, an AWB is:
- Non-negotiable — It is not a document of title
- Receipt — Confirms the airline received the goods
- Contract — Terms of carriage between shipper and carrier
There are two types:
- Master AWB (MAWB) — Issued by the airline to the freight forwarder
- House AWB (HAWB) — Issued by the freight forwarder to the shipper
When It's Required
Required for all air freight shipments. Sea freight shipments use a Bill of Lading instead.
Required Fields
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Shipper | Party shipping the goods |
| Consignee | Party receiving the goods |
| Issuing carrier | Airline or agent issuing the AWB |
| Airport of departure | IATA code of origin airport |
| Airport of destination | IATA code of destination airport |
| Flight number / date | Scheduled flight details |
| Description of goods | Nature and quantity of cargo |
| Number of pieces | Total piece count |
| Gross weight | Total weight in kilograms |
| Chargeable weight | Weight used for billing (actual or volumetric, whichever is greater) |
| Declared value for carriage | Value for liability purposes |
| Handling information | Special handling codes (e.g., perishable, fragile) |
Klervex Validation
Klervex validates that:
- Airport codes are valid IATA codes
- Transport mode is air (AWB not valid for sea freight)
- Weight and piece count are present and consistent
- Shipper and consignee details are complete