How to Select an International Air Carrier
DATE: 02/05/19
Today many small businesses are among the manufacturers, distributors and retailers that ship internationally. In the U.S., nearly 287,850 small businesses are exporters, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2018 Small Business Profile. With international shipping regulations, tariffs and customs requirements changing frequently, selecting an international air carrier is challenging.
Today many small businesses are among the manufacturers, distributors and retailers that ship internationally. In the U.S., nearly 287,850 small businesses are exporters, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2018 Small Business Profile. With international shipping regulations, tariffs and customs requirements changing frequently, selecting an international air carrier is challenging.
Many growing businesses are choosing to develop shipping expertise in-house and need to find an international air carrier. The prospects for business growth are good as overall U.S. manufacturing is forecast to increase faster than the general economy at about 2.6 percent this year.
Here are some tips for selecting an international air cargo carrier:
1. Examine scope of service and offerings. Select a carrier that is capable of providing a full range of transportation services and serves many destinations worldwide. An international air carrier will be able to assist customers with more complex elements such as packaging and customs clearance, plus arrange additional services which may be required at destination.
A carrier with a strong network and transportation capabilities can manage both shipper and consignee requirements. Amerijet International Airlines is a leading all-cargo air carrier offering dedicated B767 freighter service from Miami International Airport (MIA) to 38 destinations in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America. The carrier has close working relationships with other airlines through interline agreements which allow it to arrange the transportation of your freight worldwide.
Amerijet offers a full range of service parameters from basic airport-to-airport service to more expanded ground and expedited services. In the U.S., freight can be dropped off at 13 company-owned Amerijet stations, drop-off locations, in addition to 138 Amerijet and agent-operated offices worldwide.
2. Logistics IT and automation. The technology capabilities of your air carrier are critical. The more processes you can automate and do online, the more you can grow your global business. Look for user friendly online tracking tools, automated freight booking, and real-time shipment status updates. These are just a few of the functions offered to all shippers at the Amerijet MyCargo portal, with secure access available free to customers through the Amerijet website.
MyCargo users appreciate the interactive route planning tools, air and ground schedules. Shippers can receive instant e-quotes after entering shipment information, or get connected with Amerijet customer service. Amerijet offers EDI bookings which reduce errors from data entry and enable automated tracking. With both full EDI and XML capabilities, the carrier is e-air waybill (e-AWB) capable and compliant to the eAWB standard by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
3. Warehousing and ground services. In addition to freight transfer services like door-to-airport and door-to-door services, an international air carrier should be able to provide warehousing.
Amerijet offers short-term and long-term storage and warehousing solutions in key U.S. markets. Its main warehousing and storage facility is located in Miami. The new Amerijet Miami 360,000 square foot import/export facility also features a 40,000 square-foot perishable handling center providing refrigerated, frozen and chilled storage to maintain the cold chain integrity of pharmaceuticals and perishables during the transportation process. Within the U.S. and Canada, Amerijet offers full truckload, less-than-truckload and expedited trucking services.
For more about Amerijet shipping services, email sales@app-wpprod-prod-eastus2-001.azurewebsites.net.