What Is an Air Waybill (AWB) and What Role Does It Play in Customs Clearance?

One of the key documents used for transporting cargo by air is the Air Waybill (AWB).

It contains the main information relating to a specific shipment and is used during transportation, cargo identification, warehouse acceptance and customs clearance.

What information is included in an AWB?

An Air Waybill normally includes:

• Shipper — the sender of the cargo,
• Consignee — the recipient of the cargo,
• airports of departure and destination,
• transportation route,
• No. of Pieces (RCP) — number of cargo packages,
• Gross Weight — total gross weight,
• Chargeable Weight — the calculated weight normally used to determine the air freight charge,
• Nature and Quantity of Goods — description and quantity of the cargo and, where applicable, its dimensions or volume,
• Handling Information — special handling requirements and additional information.

For example, where cargo requires a specific temperature regime, contains dry ice or dangerous goods, or requires other special storage conditions, the relevant information may be reflected in the Handling Information section of the AWB and in the accompanying documentation.

For customs clearance, it is important that the consignee, shipper, description of goods, number of packages and weight shown in the AWB correspond with the commercial and other supporting documents.

MAWB and HAWB — what is the difference?

Two abbreviations frequently encountered in air freight are MAWB and HAWB.

MAWB — Master Air Waybill
The main air waybill associated with transportation performed by the airline. Several customers’ consolidated shipments may be transported under one MAWB.

HAWB — House Air Waybill
An air waybill issued by a freight forwarder for a specific customer or shipment.

For example, a freight forwarder may transport cargo belonging to several companies from China to Yerevan under one MAWB, while each consignee’s shipment has its own HAWB.

For customs clearance, it is therefore important to identify which HAWB relates to the particular consignee’s cargo and under which MAWB it was transported.

What is a Cargo Manifest?

A Cargo Manifest is not the same as an AWB.

While an AWB relates to a specific shipment, the manifest is the overall list of cargo transported on a particular flight.

It normally identifies the relevant air waybill numbers, the number of packages and weight of each shipment, and the general nature of the cargo. The manifest therefore links individual shipments to the relevant aircraft and flight, while more detailed information about each shipment is contained in the corresponding AWB.

What happens when cargo is accepted into the warehouse?

When air cargo arrives in Armenia and is transferred to a temporary storage warehouse, the documentary information is compared with the cargo actually received.

In practice, particular attention is paid to:

• the actual number of packages received,
• the condition of the cargo and packaging,
• consistency between the documentary and actual cargo information,
• any special storage requirements.

Temperature-controlled, perishable, dangerous or other cargo requiring special storage conditions must be placed in facilities suitable for those requirements.

In simple terms, the AWB describes the shipment, the Manifest shows what was transported on the particular flight, and warehouse acceptance records the cargo that actually arrived.

If, for example, the AWB indicates 10 packages but only 9 actually arrive, or there is a discrepancy in weight, packaging or other information, clarification may be required before the process can continue.

Dangerous Goods (DG)

Certain products that may appear ordinary can also be classified as Dangerous Goods (DG) for air transportation. Examples include lithium batteries, certain chemicals, flammable liquids and gases.

Depending on the product, the required information may include:

• UN Number,
• Proper Shipping Name,
• hazard class,
• Packing Instruction (PI),
• required markings and labels,
• in certain cases, a Shipper’s Declaration for Dangerous Goods (DGD).

For dangerous goods, it is important that the classification, packaging and documentation are correct before the cargo is handed over to the airline.

Why is the AWB important for customs clearance?

An error in the AWB or a discrepancy between the invoice, Packing List, AWB and the cargo actually received may require additional clarification after the shipment has already arrived.

For this reason, for air shipments it is advisable to review the AWB and other documents before the cargo arrives in Armenia.

REGULUS GROUP provides customs clearance services for air cargo arriving through Zvartnots International Airport and can review the available documentation in advance to help organize the customs clearance process as efficiently as possible after arrival.