How to Use This Manual
This manual organizes commonly used air freight terms by category. Each term includes: Chinese Name | English Full Name | Brief Explanation.
We recommend saving this page as a quick reference tool for daily work.
I. Core Concepts
| Term | English Full Name | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 空运提单 | Air Waybill (AWB) | The transport document for air cargo, certifying that the goods have been received and are accepted for carriage. Non-negotiable, not a document of title. |
| 主单 | Master Air Waybill (MAWB) | The air waybill issued by the airline to the freight forwarder. |
| 分单 | House Air Waybill (HAWB) | The air waybill issued by the freight forwarder to the actual shipper. |
| 电子空运提单 | Electronic Air Waybill (e-AWB) | The electronic alternative to the paper AWB, with a global adoption rate of over 75%. |
| 集装器 | Unit Load Device (ULD) | Standardized containers (pallets/containers) used for loading cargo in air transport. |
| 体积重 | Dimensional Weight (DIM Weight) | Length × Width × Height (cm) ÷ 6000, compared with actual gross weight; the higher value is used for billing. |
| 计费重量 | Chargeable Weight (CHW) | The weight used as the basis for actual billing = max(gross weight, dimensional weight). |
II. Organizations
| Term | English Full Name | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 国际航空运输协会 | International Air Transport Association (IATA) | The global trade association for airlines, setting air freight rules and tariff systems. |
| 国际民航组织 | International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) | A specialized UN agency that sets aviation safety standards. |
| 世界海关组织 | World Customs Organization (WCO) | Sets international standards for customs clearance. |
| 中国民航局 | Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) | China's civil aviation regulatory authority. |
III. Transportation & Operations
| Term | English Full Name | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 订舱 | Booking / Cargo Booking | The process of reserving space on a flight. |
| 截货时间 | Last Acceptance Time | The latest time by which cargo must be delivered to the cargo terminal. |
| 截单时间 | Latest Time for AWB Completion | The latest time for submitting the AWB. |
| 拉货/卸货 | Offload | Removing cargo already loaded due to over weight, trim, etc. |
| 打板 | ULD Build-Up | The process of assembling loose cargo onto a ULD. |
| 拆板 | ULD Break-Down | The process of unloading cargo from a ULD. |
| 中转 | Transfer / Connection | Cargo being transferred to another flight en route. |
| 直飞 | Direct Flight / Non-stop | A flight that goes directly to the destination (no stops). |
| 拼货/集运 | Consolidation | Combining multiple small shipments into one for transport. |
| 包机 | Charter Flight | Leasing an entire aircraft for cargo transport. |
| 客改货 | Preighter (Passenger Freighter) | Operating a passenger aircraft temporarily for cargo transport. |
| 满载率 | Load Factor | The actual utilization percentage of an aircraft's capacity. |
IV. Cargo & Packaging
| Term | English Full Name | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 普货 | General Cargo (GC) | Ordinary cargo with no special transport requirements. |
| 敏感货 | Sensitive Cargo | Cargo requiring special attention (containing batteries, liquids, powders, magnets, etc.). |
| 危险品 | Dangerous Goods (DG) | Cargo that may pose risks to people, property, or the environment. |
| 鲜活货物 | Perishable Cargo | Fresh goods that require temperature-controlled transport. |
| 贵重货物 | Valuable Cargo | High-value cargo (art, jewelry, precious metals, etc.). |
| 超大货物 | Out of Gauge (OOG) Cargo | Cargo whose dimensions exceed the standard ULD loading range. |
| 温控货物 | Temperature Controlled Cargo | Cargo requiring constant temperature transport (pharmaceuticals, food, etc.). |
| 活动物 | Live Animals (AVI) | Live animals requiring special loading and care. |
| 人体遗骸 | Human Remains (HUM) | Special cargo requiring specific handling procedures. |
| 备件/紧急件 | Aircraft on Ground (AOG) | Urgently needed spare parts for an aircraft grounded for maintenance. |
| 危险品规则 | Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) | IATA's rules for transporting dangerous goods by air. |
| 材料安全数据表 | Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) | Safety data sheet for chemicals. |
| 锂电池标记 | Lithium Battery Mark | The mark that must be affixed to packaging containing lithium batteries. |
V. Charges & Billing
| Term | English Full Name | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 基本运费 | Freight Charge | The base transport fee calculated based on chargeable weight and applicable rate. |
| 燃油附加费 | Fuel Surcharge (FSC) | An additional charge that fluctuates with fuel prices. |
| 安检费 | Security Surcharge (SCC) | Fee for aviation security checks and services. |
| 操作费 | Terminal Handling Charge (THC) | Cargo terminal handling fee. |
| 报关费 | Customs Clearance Fee | Fee for customs clearance services. |
| 派送费 | Delivery Fee | Land transport cost from destination airport to consignee's address. |
| 超重附加费 | Heavy Load Surcharge | Surcharge for a single piece exceeding a certain weight (usually 150 kg). |
| 超长附加费 | Overlength Surcharge | Surcharge for a single side exceeding a certain length (usually 300 cm). |
| 全包价 | All-in Rate | A flat rate including basic freight and all surcharges. |
| 运价目录 | The Air Cargo Tariff (TACT) | IATA's global air freight tariff rules manual. |
| 费率等级 | Rate Class | e.g., Q (quantity rate), M (minimum charge), N (normal rate), etc. |
| 最低运价 | Minimum Charge (M) | The minimum charge for one air freight shipment. |
VI. Documents & Information
| Term | English Full Name | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 运费更正通知 | Cargo Charges Correction Advice (CCA) | A document to change freight charges or information after AWB issuance. |
| 分舱单 | Cargo Manifest | The list of cargo loaded on a flight. |
| 海关舱单 | Customs Manifest | The total cargo list declared to customs. |
| 放行通知 | Release / Customs Release | Notification that customs has released the cargo. |
| 到货通知 | Arrival Notice (ARN) | Notification from the airline to the consignee upon cargo arrival at destination. |
| 货运状态信息 | Freight Status Message (FSM) | Information for querying air cargo status. |
| 货运已完成信息 | Freight Final Message (FFM) | Air freight completion message (including flight, weight, etc.). |
| 舱单数据交换 | Cargo Interchange Message (CUSCAR) | Standard for manifest data exchange between customs and airlines. |
VII. Facilities & Equipment
| Term | English Full Name | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 航空货运站 | Cargo Terminal / Cargo Centre | Dedicated facility for handling air cargo. |
| 海关监管仓 | Bonded Warehouse / Customs Bonded Area | Storage area under customs supervision. |
| 冷链设施 | Cool Chain Facility / Cold Storage | Refrigerated/freezer storage for temperature-controlled cargo. |
| 安检机 | X-ray Screening Machine | Equipment for cargo security inspection. |
| 升降平台车 | Height Loader / Cargo Loader | Specialized equipment for loading ULDs onto aircraft. |
| 拖车（机场内） | Cargo Dolly / Tug | Vehicle for transporting ULDs between apron and cargo terminal. |
| 集装板 | Pallet | Flat-type ULD for securing cargo. |
| 集装箱 | Container (AKE/PMC, etc.) | Enclosed type of ULD. |
| 散货舱 | Bulk Hold (Bulk Cargo Compartment) | Bulk cargo loading area in the lower deck of narrow-body aircraft. |
VIII. Abbreviation Quick Reference
| Abbreviation | Full Name | Chinese |
|---|---|---|
| AWB | Air Waybill | 空运提单 |
| MAWB | Master Air Waybill | 主单 |
| HAWB | House Air Waybill | 分单 |
| ULD | Unit Load Device | 集装器 |
| DGR | Dangerous Goods Regulations | 危险品规则 |
| DG | Dangerous Goods | 危险品 |
| FSC | Fuel Surcharge | 燃油附加费 |
| SSC | Security Surcharge | 安检费 |
| TACT | The Air Cargo Tariff | 空运运价目录 |
| CCA | Cargo Charges Correction Advice | 运费更正通知 |
| CCSP | Cargo Community Service Provider | 货运社区服务商 |
| FFM | Freight Final Message | 货运终报信息 |
| FWB | Freight Waybill (electronic) | 电子空运提单信息 |
| FSM | Freight Status Message | 货运状态信息 |
| CUSCAR | Customs Cargo Message | 海关舱单信息 |
| AOG | Aircraft on Ground | 紧急停场待修件 |
| HUM | Human Remains | 人体遗骸 |
| AVI | Live Animals | 活动物 |
| PER | Perishable Cargo | 鲜活货物 |
| VAL | Valuable Cargo | 贵重货物 |
| ICE | Indicator for Cold Environment | 温控货物指示 |
| EAP | Electronic Airwaybill Processing | 电子AWB处理 |
| SLAC | Shipper's Letter of Authority/Confirmation | 发货人声明书（常见于提单上的"Shipper Load And Count"） |
| NVD | No Value Declared | 未声明价值 |
| SVC | Specific Valuation Charge | 声明价值附加费 |
IX. Common Airport Three-Letter Codes
The following are codes for major cargo airports in the Pearl River Delta and worldwide:
| Code | Airport | Country/Region | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAN | Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport | China | Largest comprehensive air freight hub in South China |
| SZX | Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport | China | E-commerce express center |
| HKG | Hong Kong International Airport | Hong Kong, China | World's busiest cargo airport |
| MFM | Macau International Airport | Macau, China | Gateway to Portuguese-speaking countries |
| PVG | Shanghai Pudong International Airport | China | Largest air cargo port in China |
| PEK | Beijing Capital International Airport | China | Largest air freight hub in North China |
| LAX | Los Angeles International Airport | USA | Largest air cargo port on the US West Coast |
| JFK | New York John F. Kennedy International Airport | USA | Important air freight hub on the US East Coast |
| ORD | Chicago O'Hare International Airport | USA | Midwest US hub |
| LHR | London Heathrow Airport | UK | Major European air cargo gateway |
| FRA | Frankfurt International Airport | Germany | One of Europe's largest cargo hubs |
| AMS | Amsterdam Schiphol Airport | Netherlands | European transit hub |
| CDG | Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport | France | Important European cargo airport |
| DXB | Dubai International Airport | UAE | Middle East/Africa transit hub |
| NRT | Tokyo Narita International Airport | Japan | Japan's largest air cargo port |
| ICN | Seoul Incheon International Airport | South Korea | Northeast Asian transit hub |
| SIN | Singapore Changi Airport | Singapore | Southeast Asian air cargo hub |
For a complete quick reference of 200+ airport three-letter codes, see Section 18 of this manual, Global Major Airport Three-Letter Code Quick Reference Manual.
This glossary will be continuously updated. For air freight quotes or operational assistance, please contact Bofeng Logistics.
📞 Hotline: 130-7567-8958 | ✉️ Email: info@zhbfwl.com
Further Reading:
- Section 01: What is International Air Freight?
- Section 13: Complete Guide to Air Waybill (AWB)
- Section 18: Global Major Airport Three-Letter Code Quick Reference Manual
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