Arrival is not the same as available

An air freight shipment of hockey equipment had to travel from Islamabad to the Netherlands, in time for the Hockey World Cup. The aircraft landed at Schiphol on Sunday evening, exactly on schedule. Even so it took another three days before the cargo became available. Not through any error, but because arrival and availability are two different moments.

From build up plate to pallet

Air freight travels loose and is unloaded from the aircraft on a build up plate. Only then is the cargo sorted and placed on pallets, which happens at the handler on the airport. In a busy period, or during the holidays, that can take longer than planned. Neither the carrier nor the receiver has any influence on it.

Being there when it is released

The cargo should have been released on Monday, but only became available on Wednesday. Because the handler at Schiphol is visited every day and we were in direct contact about the status, we could collect the shipment the moment it was released. The equipment was delivered to the client that same day.

Arrival is in the system. Being available is something else, and that is where the time goes.

Anyone planning air freight around the aircraft’s arrival time is counting on too much. Allow for handling time at the airport, certainly in busy periods, and make sure someone is ready the moment the shipment is released.

Read more about air freight.