Urgent air freight
next flight out and on-board courier
Urgent air freight is for when a delay costs more than the transport: production is stopped, installation is waiting, a contract deadline is looming. We book the next flight with priority handling, prepare documents alongside the booking and clear the cargo at the arrival airport without extra days in bonded storage.
For the most critical shipments there is an on-board courier who flies on the same aircraft and carries the goods as baggage. International express integrators currently offer limited service to Russia, so urgent shipments from China mostly move on airlines' priority products.
Specification
Specification · Urgent air freight. Standard terms · flight and arrival time are confirmed at booking
Service
- Cargo
- urgent consignments, spare parts, samples
- Mode
- priority booking · next flight out
- Options
- OBC, dedicated vehicle, insurance
Terms
- Timing
- about 2–4 days door-to-door from China
- Documents
- DT prepared before arrival — included
- Currency
- USD / RUB
Logistics
- Before departure
- booking, documents, urgent pickup
- In transit
- transfer control
- After
- release and same-day delivery
Price
- Base
- priority rate per chargeable kg
- Extras
- OBC, dedicated transport — on request
Service flow
- 01
Request and flight choice
We confirm the deadline, weight, dimensions and contents and name the actual next flight and arrival time straight away.
1–2 hours - 02
Booking and documents
We book priority space and in parallel collect the invoice, packing list and data for the DT.
same day - 03
Departure
Urgent pickup, export clearance and security screening, tender before cut-off; at transfers we make sure the cargo connects to the onward flight.
0–1 day - 04
Airport customs
We file the DT right after arrival, our representative attends any inspection and the cargo leaves the bonded store on the day of release.
usually 1 day - 05
Delivery
A dedicated vehicle to the consignee, proof of delivery and closing documents.
day of release
Problems
The cargo flew quickly and then sat in bonded storage for three days: the invoice arrived after landing and lacked the data for the DT.
We collect and check documents in parallel with the booking; the DT is ready by the time the aircraft lands.
At the transfer the cargo missed its connection and stayed at the hub until the next departure.
For urgent shipments we choose direct flights or connections with a time buffer and track the transfer manually.
An urgent part with a battery or lubricant was refused as general cargo.
Before booking we check whether the item is dangerous goods under IATA DGR and, if so, prepare the declaration and packaging right away.
Documents
Urgent shipments lose time on paperwork, not in the air. The invoice and packing list are needed before booking: without them the terminal will not accept the cargo and the DT cannot be ready by arrival.
Incoterms
- FCA
- handover to the carrier at the seller's site or airport
- CPT
- the seller pays the urgent freight to the destination airport
- DAP
- delivery to the buyer's site, import clearance on the buyer
Documents
- Commercial invoice
- exact description, HS codes and value — before departure, not after
- Packing List
- piece weights and dimensions for booking and chargeable weight
- Air waybill
- AWB under the carrier's priority product
- Contract
- foreign trade contract, or a warranty letter for a replacement part
- Compliance
- EAEU conformity certificate / declaration if required — prepared upfront
FAQ
With documents ready we put the cargo on the next suitable flight — often the same day. The exact departure depends on the airport, the airline's cut-off and space, so we name the actual next flight straight away. Door-to-door from China to Russia usually takes 2–4 days.
An on-board courier is a person who flies on a passenger flight and carries the goods as checked baggage door to door. It is the fastest and most controlled option for small, ultra-urgent shipments: parts, documents, samples. The limits are baggage weight and size and the rules for importing goods in accompanied baggage.
The urgent rate is noticeably higher than standard general cargo: you pay for priority booking and handling. It is charged by chargeable weight (1 m³ = 167 kg) plus fuel and security surcharges; OBC and a dedicated vehicle are extra. If the deadline allows 2–3 days' wait, general cargo is cheaper.
Yes, if documents are ready before departure. We collect the invoice and DT data in parallel with the booking and file the declaration immediately after arrival; the broker is on call 24/7. Only an inspection or a request for compliance documents can add time.
Yes, but it falls under IATA DGR: a lithium battery contained in equipment ships as UN 3481 or UN 3091 with the proper marks and sometimes a Shipper's Declaration. Tell us about the battery before booking — otherwise the cargo will be refused at acceptance.