Is air freight the most optimal mode of transportation for your operations? Although the fastest way of transporting goods, resorting to air freight for your logistics operations also has cons that all businesses involved in international trade should weigh before making their decision. In today's article, we summarize everything you need to know about air freight to make the most fitted decision regarding your logistics and freight forwarding operations.
In today's fast-paced economy, efficiency and responsiveness are determinant factors to a business's success. Air freight meets both these criteria, but is it the right transportation for your project and goods?
Today, ASI Logistics explores the situations in which air freight is indeed the recommended solution.
When Is Air Freight the Optimal Solution?
- Time-sensitive goods: air freight is mostly used for its velocity and the reliability of its ETA by businesses whose project requires tight time management.
Indeed, this transportation method is not affected by road and rail conditions, and weather conditions cause shorter delays than they do to sea freight.
Several situations might call for resorting to air freight's 560mph, among which:- Having to complete time-sensitive or urgent shipments, i.e., perishable goods, medical supplies, high-value goods, or time-critical components. In such cases, air freight allows transporting these goods across long distances in a matter of hours or days, depending on the origin and destination.
- Relying on just-in-time inventory management, i.e., shipping goods as they are needed instead of maintaining large inventories. Air freight then allows for reducing inventory costs and streamlining supply chain operations as goods can be flown as needed to meet production or customers' demand.
- Dealing with seasonal or promotional goods, e.g., seasonal garment collections or holiday merchandise. When dealing with tight or lean production and delivery, air freight thus appears as the best fit to meet customers' peak demand periods.
- High-value shipments: for high-value goods, such as electronics, luxury items, or precious metals, air freight may be recommended due to its comparatively higher security measures and lower transit times.
- Small quantities: air freight is best fitted to accommodate smaller volumes due to its comparatively scarcer available space and higher rates.
- Easily reaching the entire world: when shipping internationally or across long distances, air freight can be comparatively more efficient, as it allows for faster delivery times. It is also a particularly good choice when trying to reach remote or difficultly accessible locations with limited transportation options.
The Pros and Cons of Using Air Freight
When Air Freight Becomes a Strategy
As highlighted by the World Bank, resorting to air freight can be leveraged by companies and integrated to their business strategy and used to leverage their operations.
- "The use of air freight can create competitive advantages" for producers who can then agree on shorter order times and for manufacturers who can then use the velocity of air freight to replenish inventories as the need arises.
- "Air freight can be used as part of a strategy of diversification," allowing businesses to introduce products with shorter shelf lives or provide reliable delivery of smaller volumes in a new market before switching to cheaper modes of transportation that can accommodate larger volumes once the market is established.
Searching for a Fast and Reliable Way to Transport Goods Across the World
As a leader in logistics and freight forwarding, ASI Logistics provides customized, high-quality air freight solutions crafted to fit your needs. Thanks to our comprehensive range of air, sea, and land freight services, we provide you with the right solution for your cargo.
Partnering with a reliable logistics provider is essential to any company's success. By working with ASI Logistics, you ensure your goods arrive at their destination safely and on time, your logistics operations are optimized to your needs, and your contact persons' priorities are aligned with yours.
We understand that your business relies on timely and cost-effective logistics solutions that don't sacrifice quality. Prioritizing our clients’ needs, embracing the uniqueness of every request, and building long-lasting business relationships are at the core of our ethos.
Thanks to our wide range of services, 15 years of expertise, and outside-of-the-box thinking, we strive to offer customized solutions that meet our customers’ specific needs and demands.
ASI Logistics, strong with 15 years of expertise, provides you with the most adapted logistic solution to fit your needs and ensure you enjoy the benefits of smooth operations.
Thanks to our seven offices, including six conveniently located on China's east coast logistic hubs (Shanghai, Qingdao, Xiamen, Ningbo, and Hong Kong), its two branches in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and its worldwide network of logistic experts, ASI Logistics accompanies you at every step of your product's journey from, to and within Asia.
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Source:
- World Bank Group. (2009, August 1). Air Freight: A market study with implications for landlocked countries. World Bank. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
