Home » Shipping Solutions » 10 core issues that must be known for international air freight forwarder exports? 2025 latest guide

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How to confirmAir Transportationwhether the agent has legal operation qualifications?

According to the latest requirements of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in 2025, a qualified agent must have:

IATA/CASS code: A valid freight settlement account that can be verified on the official website.
Dangerous goods transportation certification: In 2024, a special transportation qualification for lithium - ion batteries was added.
Air safety control: Certification of the Cargo Clearance Security Program (CCSP) that complies with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

What hidden costs are actually included in air freight charges?

In addition to the basic freight, special attention should be paid to:

Fuel surcharge: It fluctuates monthly according to the IATA index (the benchmark in April 2025 is $0.85/kg).
Security surcharge: The EU has charged an additional 0.2€/kg for electronic products since 2023.
Special handling fee: An additional 25% surcharge is required for extra-long goods (> 3m)

Take the China-US route in 2025 as an example. In addition to the regular commercial invoice:

Declaration of origin: The first six digits of the HS CODE must be included
: Chinese mobile phone brands such as Huawei, Lenovo, and OPPO have a high market share in the Egyptian market.: FCC certification number (new regulations require it to be shown on the waybill)
Food category: FDA pre - filing receipt (needs to be submitted 72 hours in advance)

Based on our experience in handling over 300 batches of sensitive goods:

Lithium battery:
- The UN38.3 test report must be the 2024 or later version.
- The state of charge should be ≤ 30% and packaged separately
Cosmetics & Personal Care:
- The EU requires all ingredients to be labeled in English
- Provide an Antimicrobial Efficacy Profile (EPP)

In 2025, the average on - time rate of the aviation industry dropped to 68%. It is recommended that:

Purchase flight delay insurance: Major insurance companies have introduced a "4-hour claim settlement" clause.
Alternative plan: Book seats on two different airlines in advance
Real - time tracking: Require the agent to provide the IATA real - time tracking interface

Adopt different strategies according to the value of the goods:

High - value goods(> $50,000): Purchase all - risks insurance with war risk added
Ordinary goods: Choose Institute Cargo Clause A with a premium rate of 0.15%
Special attention: In 2025, an exclusion clause for cargo damage caused by cyber - attacks was added

It needs to be completed within 24 hours:

Evidence preservation: Shoot an unpacking video with a timestamp
Document Preparation: Provide a document chain to prove the value of the goods (blockchain evidence preservation is better)
Limitation period for claims: The Montreal Convention stipulates a maximum of 14 days

Regions to focus on in 2025:

The Middle East: All textiles need to provide Oeko - Tex certification
Southeast Asia: Thailand has added an electronic cargo label (must contain a QR code)
Africa: Nigeria requires pre - review of the SONCAP certificate

According to the EUs environmental packaging regulations in 2025:

Lightweighting: Using honeycomb cardboard instead of wooden boxes can reduce the weight by 40%
Standardization: Adopt the ULD container size (LD - 9 specification is recommended)
Recyclability: Using EPAL - certified pallets can save 20% of the handling fee

An excellent agent should provide:

Intelligent cargo space allocation system: Automatically match the optimal flight combination
Customs pre - review service: Identify access restrictions in over 120 countries in advance
Green Logistics Solutions: Select an environmentally friendly shipping route through carbon footprint measurement