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Air freight chargeable weight, explained

Airlines charge the higher of the actual weight and the volume weight. Volume weight is L x W x H in cm ÷ 6000. Here is how it works, with an example.

The formula

Airlines charge for space as well as weight. They work out a volume weight and charge whichever is higher, the gross weight or the volume weight:

6000 is the IATA standard for air freight (1 m³ counts as 166.7 kg). Couriers and express services usually use 5000 (1 m³ = 200 kg), which makes light, bulky shipments more expensive.

Worked example

One US pallet, 48 x 40 in, built to 60 in high (121.9 x 101.6 x 152.4 cm), weighing 400 kg:

• Volume: 121.9 x 101.6 x 152.4 = 1,887,790 cm³ (1.89 m³)
• Volume weight at 6000: 1,887,790 ÷ 6000 = 315 kg
• Gross weight: 400 kg
• Chargeable weight: 400 kg, because the volume weight is higher. At 5000 it would be 378 kg.

If the same pallet weighed 600 kg, you would pay for 600 kg: heavy, dense cargo is charged by gross weight.

How to lower the chargeable weight

• Build pallets lower and fuller: empty space on a pallet is charged like cargo.
• Use the right cartons: oversized boxes add volume weight.
• Compare sending loose cartons with palletised cargo; the planner shows both.
• Check which divisor your forwarder uses before you compare quotes.

Air pallets and containers (ULDs)

On the aircraft, cargo is built up on ULDs: PMC and PAG aluminium pallets (125 x 96 in and 125 x 88 in), or containers such as the AKE (LD3). Each has a contour, a shape the cargo must stay inside; lower deck positions are only about 160 cm high and slope at the edges. The planner checks your pallets against these contours.

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