What international air freight shipping staff worry most when encountering oversized cargoes is that the outer packaging is too high to be transported by plane. Some molds, machines, instruments, materials, glass products, and other goods need to be transported by air by aircraft. How can we confirm that the package's height is within the plane's limit?
Ⅰ. Common international air freight shipping height limits
Common international air freight shipping restrictions limit the maximum cargo to 163 cm. We recommend that it should not exceed 160 cm. The cargo below this height can be airlifted to wherever you want by a passenger plane or a cargo plane. Whether it is the belly compartment of a passenger plane or the lower cargo compartment of a cargo plane, the height of different air container containers of various models is 163 cm. As long as the cargo doesn't exceed this size, it can be transported by air. There is no need to verify with the airline whether the size exceeds the limit before booking a flight for international air freight shipping.
You should know that for international air freight shipping, the goods are not loaded into the aircraft in bulk but use standard air containers arranged one by one in the aircraft's cargo compartment. The airline won't carry your carton into the airplane one by one.
Ⅱ. Air transport restrictions on special ultra-high cargo sizes for international air freight shipping
The height of the main cargo compartment of most aviation international air freight shipping is up to 305 cm, which is 30 cm higher than the main cargo compartment of the freighter. Many products with a height between 270 cm and 300 cm will choose international air transport.
Considering the transportation time, air freight is many times faster than sea freight, and international air freight services are also reasonable. Regarding the transportation cost, the cargo of this height needs to be used in special open-top container containers. Its freight is several times that of ordinary standard containers, and only the entire container can be rented, and LCL cannot be used. International air transport does not have this requirement. Therefore, international air freight services is likely to be cheaper if the air freight is between 270 cm and 300 cm in height. This is why many ultra-high cargoes in the market choose international air freight.
If the cargo exceeds the height limit of 163 cm, can cargo with a height of less than 305 cm board the plane? The answer is no. Only cargo planes, all-cargo planes, have the main cargo compartment, and passenger planes do not have the main cargo compartment. In the aviation international cargo market, the capacity of passenger aircraft to transport cargo accounts for more than 70% of the entire cargo market. The following factors should be considered for international air transportation of cargo over 163 cm: whether the aircraft of the airline between the two airports is a cargo plane; whether the airline is willing to accept your cargo.
