Ground cartage vs. air freight
Air freight is the flight itself, arranged by an airline or a freight forwarder. Airport ground cartage is the local truck move on either side of it:
- Inbound (recovery): picking up a shipment that has arrived at an airline cargo terminal or handling agent’s warehouse, and delivering it to you.
- Outbound: taking freight from your location to the cargo facility your forwarder specifies, before its cutoff.
DK Express coordinates the ground move through its carrier partners. We don’t book flights, act as a freight forwarder, or clear customs.
The air waybill (AWB)
Every air shipment has an air waybill number, usually 11 digits (a 3-digit airline prefix and an 8-digit serial, for example 123-45678901). Cargo facilities use it to find and release the shipment. A forwarder’s house air waybill (HAWB) may also be used.
What affects the pickup
- Release: imports must be cleared and released, and any facility charges settled. Your forwarder or broker usually arranges this.
- Facility rules: cargo facilities set their own hours, appointment or queue procedures, identification and paperwork requirements.
- Equipment: pallet sizes and weights decide the truck, and whether a liftgate or pallet jack is needed at delivery.
Recovery times can’t be promised in advance; they depend on the facility’s processing and queue on the day.
On a quote request
Choose Airport freight pickup / delivery, and give the airline or handling facility, the AWB if you have it, the release status and the freight details. Our team prices these requests individually.