Air waybill (AWB)
The air cargo document that evidences the contract, receipt of the goods and the conditions of carriage, without being a document of title like a bill of lading.
The air waybill is issued by the shipper, or on its behalf by the carrier or an agent, for each air cargo shipment. The 1999 Montreal Convention makes it evidence of the contract of carriage, of receipt of the goods and of the conditions of carriage, and regulates its content. Unlike the ocean bill of lading, it is not negotiable and does not represent the goods: an air shipment is not sold by transferring its air waybill, which has consequences for trade finance and for identifying the claimant after a loss. The air waybill may also carry the special declaration of interest in delivery, which lets the shipper raise the carrier's liability cap for a surcharge. The industry has moved to the electronic air waybill, which replaces the paper document with data exchange under a multilateral agreement.
Since January 1, 2019, the electronic air waybill has become the default standard for cargo shipments on routes where it is legally possible, under IATA's multilateral e-AWB agreement.
AWB, air waybill, e-AWB
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