abbreviations

Term Meaning
A2A Airport-to-airport
A2D Airport-to-door
ADV Advise, Advised, Advising
AEA Association of European Airlines (see the page “Interest Organisations” of this website also)
Airline Company operating aircraft between steady origin and destination airports
Airmail Mail travelling by air
Air Operator Company operating aircraft
Airport-to-airport Transport from an airport of origin to an airport of destination
Allotment Assigned volume on board of a flight / day
AOG Aircraft On Ground ; materials expedited for repair of a grounded aircraft
AP Airport
ARR Arrive, Arrived, Arrival.Also a C2K milestone: ARR = cargo and documents arrived at airport of destination
ATA Air Transport Association (see the page “Interest Organisations” of this website also)
ATA Actual Time of Arrival
ATD Actual Time of Departure
Authorisation The commission to a certain person or body to act on behalf of another person or body ; the person or body can be authorised e.g. to issue air waybills or to collect freight
AVI Live Animal(s)
AWB Air Waybill
Term Meaning
Backlog Amount of goods still to be delivered or received and for which the planned or agreed date has expired
BAG Baggage
Belly Lower-deck cargo hold of an aircraft
BIG Outsized cargo
Blocked-space agreement A continuous reservation (allotment) for space at one or more flight / date combinations with an airline
Bonded Goods Goods on which the customs duty has not yet been paid, and which therefore, are under the control of customs; usually in a Bonded warehouse.
Bonded warehouse A depository for goods on which the customs duty has not been paid ; the warehouse proprietor must provide a bond (often in the form of a bank warranty or a mortgage) to the customs authorities as a security for any duties which may not be paid by the customer
Booking The exchange of commodities or services for other commodities or services rather than the purchase of commodities or services with money.
Break Bulk Agent A forwarder breaking the bulk: taking care of the unpacking and sorting of goods after the flight
Breakdown List List of shipments carried in one consolidation (see also: Consolidation Manifest)
Broker Person who acts as an agent or intermediary in negotiating contracts ; sometimes refers to a forwarder role
Bulk Cargo Loose cargo not loaded on an ULD
Term Meaning
C2K Cargo 2000 (see the “Cargo 2000” page of this website)
Cargo Aircraft Aircraft built with the purpose of carrying nothing else than cargo
Cargo assembly The separate reception of parcels or packages and the holding of them for later dispatch as one consignment ; consolidator role
Cargo disassembly The separation of one or more of the parcels or packages that are part of a consignment for further distribution ; break bulk role
Carriage Transport ; the process of conveying cargo from one point to another
Carrier The party responsible for transport of goods from one point to another, this can be for example an airline or a forwarder (as a NVOCC)
CASS Cargo Accounts Settlement System
CAO Cargo Aircraft Only
CC Charges Collect ; pay at moment of collection of the goods
CCS Cargo Community System ; information system integrating the communication between air cargo parties at an airport
Certificate of Origin A certificate proving the country of original production of goods ; used for customs declaration purposes
Charges collect Charges as stated on the air waybill to be collected from the consignee
Charges prepaid Charges as stated on the air waybill to be collected from the shipper
Claim A written complaint about the execution of a contract of transportation by a carrier, combined with a demand for financial compensation
Classifying Assigning the right import classification number to goods as part of the customs declaration process
CLR Clear
CNEE Consignee
COLL Collect, Collected, Collecting
COMAT Company Material (non revenue cargo)
Combi Combi Aircraft, combining transport of passengers and cargo on the main-deck
Commodity Indication of the type of goods ; commodities are coded according to the harmonised system
Commodity code Code used in the Harmonised System for the classification of goods, which are mostcommonly produced and traded
Complaint An official statement from a customer to a carrier about his unhappiness with the service or operation of the service provider
Consignee The person or company that is physically and administratively responsible for accepting the goods at final delivery (see the “Consignment” page of this website also)
Consolidation A collection of shipments belonging to different shippers travelling to one destination or area to be distributed to several consignees
Consolidation Manifest List of shipments carried in one consolidation
Consolidation Rates Rates as given by a consolidator / forwarder
Consolidator A forwarder consolidating shipments before a flight ; these shipments belonging to different shippers and travelling to one destination or area in order to be distributed to several consignees after the flight
Courier Company that carries envelopes and parcels up to 75 kg from door to door ; air transport is generally outsourced to airlines
Courier Rates Rates as given by a courier
CPTY Capacity
CRN Customs Release Note
Customs Agent / Broker (Certified) Party certified to handle the customs clearance on account of importers / exporters
Customs invoice (Pro forma) Invoice for import declaration (customs and statistics) purposes, stating the commercial price, added with the costs for freight, insurance and packing etc., terms of delivery and payment
Customs value Value of goods to be imported for import declaration (customs and statistics) purposes
Term Meaning
D2A Door-to-airport
D2D Door-to-door
Dangerous Goods Goods that can be hazardous for health, flight-safety or materials
DEP A C2K milestone: DEP = cargo and documents departed at airport of origin
DEPT Department
DG Dangerous Goods
DGR Dangerous Goods Regulations (IATA)
Dimensional Weight (Conversion) Concept adopted by the transportation industry worldwide as a uniform means of establishing a minimum charge for the cubic space a package occupies ; the volume is converted into a (higher) weight / price class(See the “Forwarding Out” page of this website also)
DIMS Dimensions
DIP Diplomatic mail
DLV Deliver, Delivered, Delivering. Also a C2K milestone: DLV = cargo and documents delivered to customer (forwarder)
DOCS Document(s), Documentation
Domestic transport Transport within a country
Door-to-door Transport from an initial shipper’s house address to a final consignee’s house address
Duty Tax imposed on goods imported from another country
Term Meaning
EDI Electronic Data Interchange
EDIFACT Electronic Data Interchange For Administration, Commerce and Transport ; a specific EDI protocol
e-Freight Electronic freight documents project from IATA ; e-Freight aims to take the paper out of the air cargo supply chain and -processes and replace it with cheaper, more accurate and more reliable electronic messaging ; facilitated by IATA, the project is an industry-wide initiative involving carriers, freight forwarders, ground handlers, shippers and customs authorities.(See the “e-Freight” page of this website also)
Electronic Data Interchange The interchange of electronic data, structured following an agreed protocol, between the automated information system of different parties
Embargo An embargo on a certain kind of goods means these goods will not be transported by the airline, often for flight-safety reasons
Equipment Materials needed to handle or transport goods
ESC European Shippers’ Council (see the page “Interest Organisations” of this website also)
ETA Estimated Time of Arrival
ETD Estimated Time of Departure
Expediting Forwarding goods (in less than the normal lead time)
Expeditor Forwarder
Term Meaning
FAK Freight All Kinds
FAK-Rates Rates for Freight All Kinds
FAP A C2K key performance indicator: FAP = Flown As Planned (the complete shipment has flown at or before the last planned flight with a maximum 12 hour delay)
FCL Full Container Load
FDCA Found Cargo
FFM Freight Forwarding Message (electronic)
FIATA International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (see the page “Interest Organisations” of this website also)
FLT Flight
Forwarder Company specialized in providing door-to-airport transport, arranging connecting air transport and/or airport-to-door transport for parcels and consolidations > 75 kg or up to anything that fits in an aircraft ; the air transport is generally outsourced to airlines and sometimes aircraft operators or air charter companies (See the pages “Forwarding In” and “Fowarding Out” of this website also)
Forwarder network A network existing of different smaller to medium sized forwarding companies all over the world working together
Freighter Aircraft built with the purpose of carrying nothing else than cargo
FSU Freight Status Update
Fuel surcharge Surcharge added to the cargo rate to cover the additional costs of increasing fuel-prices ; these will generally folow a certain index
Full charter Chartering the full available volume of an aircraft or flight/day
Full Container Load Container fully loaded, generally with goods belonging to one party
Full freighter Aircraft built with the purpose of carrying nothing else than cargo
FWB Electronic air waybill message Also a C2K milestone: FWB = the shipment is booked at the airline, next an electronic air waybill is generated by agent (forwarder) ; this creates the so-called route map in C2K in which all the steps are followed
FYI For Your Information
Term Meaning
General Cargo Rates Rates for all different kinds of cargo, not falling into a specific handling and/or rate category
GSA General Sales Agent
GSF Global Shippers Forum (see the page “Interest Organisations” of this website also)
Term Meaning
Handling Agent Agent handling the ramp and/or warehouse cargo operation for an airline
Harmonised System A numeric multi purpose system for the classification of goods with its six digits covering about 5000 descriptions of the products or groups of products most commonly produced and traded, designed for customs purposes, but can also be used for statistics, transport purposes, export, import and manufacturing; the international convention on the HS was established under auspices of the World Customs Organisation in 1983
Haulage Inland transport of cargo
Haulier Road carrier
HEA Heavy Cargo
HAWB House Air Waybill
House Air Waybill The shipment contract between the end-customer and the forwarder (see the page “Forwarding Out” of this website for further purposes and explanation)
Hub Central point in a transport system or network
HUM Human remains
HWB House Waybill
Term Meaning
IATA International Air Transport Association (see the page “Interest Organisations” of this website also)
IATA-Agent An IATA certified agent
ICAL Inbound Cargo Action List
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organisation (see the page “Interest Organisations” of this website also)
ICE Dry Ice Shipment
IN Inches
Inco terms Internationally agreed set of standard delivery terms
Integrator Carrier integrating different modes of transport to form a door-to-door transport or supply chain ; this term mostly refers to the large international express companies who’s core business is to carry envelopes and parcels up to 75 kg, often overnight or even same day
Intermodal Transport The movement of cargo in a supply chain by more than one mode of transport ; for example road/air or sea/air transport
INV Invoice
ISA If Space Available
Term Meaning
KG Kilos
Term Meaning
L/C Letter of Credit
LCL Less than Container Load
Less than Container Load Container partly filled with goods from one party, or an amount of goods that is not sufficient to fill one container and will therefore likely be consolidated
LHO Living Human Organs / Blood
License, import / export Governmental permit to import / export certain goods under certain conditions
Line item Order line, each line on a packing list or invoice to be declared for customs
Load factor The extent to which the aircraft (weight-, volume-, ULD-) capacity is efficiently utilized (to generate profit)
LOC Location
Loose cargo / shipments Cargo / shipments not loaded on an ULD
Lower deck The (cargo) deck below the main deck or upper deck of an aircraft
LT Local Time
Term Meaning
Main deck Upper deck ; the (cargo) deck above the lower deck of an aircraft
Manifest, flight Document listing the air waybills and a specification of the related goods carried on a flight
Master Air Waybill The shipment contract between the forwarder and the airline (see the page “Forwarding Out” of this website for further purposes and explanation)
MAWB Master Air Waybill
MFST Manifest
Minimum Rate Rate to cover the basic costs of carrying a shipment
MSG Message(s)
Term Meaning
Network Forwarder A large forwarding company with worldwide branches
NFD A C2K milestone: NFD = cargo and documents ready for pick-up at airline (handler), the customer (forwarder) is notified
NND Notice of Non Delivery
NON-IATA Airline or agent that is not a member of IATA</td>
Nose loading Loading cargo through the cargo door in the nose of an aircraft
Notify address Address of a party other than the consignee to be notified of arrival of the goods
Notify party Party other than the consignee to be notified of arrival of the goods
NOTOC Notification To Captain ; list for the captain of the aircraft with goods carried on board
N-Rates Rates for shipments with weights up to 45 kg
NVOCC Non Vessel Operating/Owning Cargo Carrier ; in case of Air Cargo a Carrier (e.g. a Forwarder or Consolidator) who issues Air Waybills for the carriage of cargo on aircraft which he does not operate or own
Term Meaning
OAG Official Airlines Guide
OB On Board
Oversized cargo Cargo that exceeds the dimensions of an ULD
Term Meaning
Package Packed piece of cargo
Packing list A list for customs declaration and consignment purposes stating number and kinds of packages being shipped, totals of gross, legal, and net weights of the packages, marks and numbers on the packages, contents and part-/serialnumbers
Pallet A (standardized) platform on which goods can be stacked for transport or warehouse handling purposes
Pallet, aircraft A (standardized) platform on which goods can be stacked for air transport purposes
Pallet net A net used to secure the cargo on the aircraft pallet
Parcel Package
Part charter Chartering of a part of the available volume on an aircraft or flight/day
Part shipment Part of a shipment that travels on a different flight and/or day than the rest of the shipment due to available capacity with the airline
PAX Passenger(s)
Payload The (cargo) load that can be carried by an aircraft (to generate revenue)
PC Piece(s)
PER Perishable Cargo
PFI Pro Forma Invoice
POA Proof Of Acceptance ; legal proof a shipment has been accepted by a party
POD Proof Of Delivery ; legal proof a shipment has been delivered by a party
POD Place Of Delivery
PP Charges Prepaid
PPD Prepaid
Pre-alert Message stating the current and or expected status of the goods
Principal The customer ordering the transport or related services
PSH Part Shipment
Term Meaning
QNTY Quantity
Q-Rates Rates with a quantity discount
Term Meaning
RCF A C2K milestone: RCF = cargo has arrived in the cargo bay at final destination ; cargo and airwaybill are administratively received in the system
RCPT Receipt, Reception
RCS A C2K milestone: RCS = cargo and documents are received 'Ready For Carriage' and accepted by airline (handler)
Ready For Carriage (By Air) The goods are correctly packed and labeled, and customs cleared, with the right documents attached
Ready For Transport (By Road) The goods are correctly packed and labeled, with the right documents attached
RFC Ready For Carriage
RFT Ready For Transport
Routing The path that is (to be) followed by the goods from shipper to consignee
RUSHR Rush Reply
Term Meaning
SASPO As Soon As Possible
SAWB Substitute Air Waybill
Security surcharge Surcharge added to the cargo rate to cover the additional costs of the increasing number of security checks and related administration that are legally required by the authorities
Shipper The person or company that is physically and administratively responsible for shipping the goods ; for an airline in most cases a forwarder will be the shipper, for a forwarder the shipper is a third party, for example a trading company, a manufacturer, etc.(see the “Shipping” page of this website also)
Shipper’s Letter of Instruction Document issued by the shipper to instruct and authorize the forwarder to forward and declare goods on his behalf ; contains all shipment details needed to facilitate these services
SHPMNT Shipment
Side loading Loading cargo through a cargo door in the side of an aircraft
Skid Pallet
S/L Short Loaded
SLI Shipper’s Letter of Instruction
SSPD Short Shipped ; stayed behind
Term Meaning
TACT The Air Cargo Tariff ; publication of official airline tariffs
TBA Time Before Arrival
TBD Time Before Departure
TEMP Temperature
TIACA The International Air Cargo Association (see the page “Interest Organisations” of this website also)
TILNA Tilting Not Allowed
TILTA Tilting Allowed
Time Slot The agreed time to collect or deliver goods
Tonne Kilometer One tonne (1000 kg or 2204.6 lb) metric flown one kilometer ; productivity indicator
TRA Transit
Tracing Retrieving (information on) the status of goods and documents
Tracking Regular checking on the status of goods and documents
Track & Trace Automated regular retrieval of (information on) the status of goods and documents and checking these against the agreed norms
Transfer cargo Transfer of cargo from one flight to another
Transito / Transit cargo Transfer of cargo from one flight to another
TRM Transfer Manifest
TTL Total
Term Meaning
ULD Unit Load Device
ULD, contoured Unit Load Device shaped to exactly fit in an aircraft
UNACC Unaccompanied
Unit Load Device Standardized air cargo loading equipment (pallet, container)
Upper deck Main deck ; the (cargo) deck above the lower deck of an aircraft
Term Meaning
VAL Valuable cargo
VAT Value Added Tax
VOL Volume
Volume charge Air transport charge based on the volume of goods instead of the actual weight (see “Dimensional Weight” and “Weight charge” also)
VUN Vulnerable cargo
Term Meaning
Weight charge Air transport charge based on the actual weight of the goods (see “Dimensional Weight” and “Volume charge” also)
Weight & Balance Management of the weight and allocation of cargo, passengers and fuel for a flight
W/H Warehouse
Term Meaning
XPS Priority Small Package
XS In Excess
Term Meaning
Yield management The process of maximizing the contribution (revenue) of the (transport & handling) network, equipment, infrastructure and resources