Dangerous Goods Air Freight.

Dangerous goods by air are governed by the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, and airlines apply them without discretion. A mis-declared consignment is refused at acceptance, and a hidden one is a criminal matter. The good news is that most regulated cargo — paints, adhesives, batteries, aerosols, cleaning chemicals, perfumes, laboratory samples — is entirely shippable once it is classified, packed and documented properly.

The process begins with the safety data sheet. From it we establish the UN number, proper shipping name, class, packing group and permitted quantity per package, then confirm whether the substance may fly on a passenger aircraft, on cargo aircraft only, or not at all. We then specify UN-approved packaging, apply the correct labels and orientation arrows, and prepare the shipper's declaration for signature.

Lithium batteries are the most commonly mishandled air cargo in the world. Whether a shipment falls under Section I or Section II depends on watt-hour rating, cell versus battery, and whether the batteries are loose, packed with equipment or installed in equipment — and each combination carries different packing, labelling and documentation rules. Send us the battery specification and quantity and we will tell you precisely which rules apply before you pack anything.

Every dangerous goods air freight booking with NLX Logistics follows the same simple sequence, and you keep the same reference number and the same contact from the first email to final delivery. You send us the details, we send you a written quotation, and once you are happy we confirm space and issue a booking pack with everything you need to prepare.

We never ask for paperwork you do not need, and we never spring charges on you at destination without warning. If a cost is likely to arise at the other end — terminal handling, customs examination, quarantine inspection, storage after free time expires — we tell you about it in the quotation so you can budget for it rather than discover it later.

Good paperwork is what keeps freight moving, so we front-load it. For commercial cargo we need a commercial invoice and packing list, your EORI number, the commodity codes and the incoterms you have agreed with your buyer. For vehicles we need the V5C or bill of sale, photographic identification for the owner and the keys. For personal effects we need a detailed inventory and, where relevant, evidence of residence.

If anything is missing we will tell you exactly what to obtain and where to get it. We would far rather spend ten minutes on the phone before the cargo moves than deal with a detention charge at destination because a certificate was never applied for.

Standard carrier liability is limited by international convention and is calculated on the weight of the cargo rather than its value, which means an expensive, lightweight shipment is barely protected at all. We therefore recommend all-risks marine cargo insurance on the declared commercial or replacement value of every consignment, which we can arrange at the point of booking for a small percentage of the insured value.

Cover runs warehouse to warehouse, includes general average contribution, and is underwritten on Institute Cargo Clauses A for most cargo types. Claims are handled with a single point of contact, and we will help you assemble the survey report, photographs and commercial evidence a claim requires.