Air Cargo Documentation Guide

Air cargo documentation decides whether a shipment flies on time, because an airline will not carry what it cannot accept and customs will not release what it cannot check. The paperwork is also where small errors turn into missed flights, queries and penalties. This guide lists the documents an air shipment usually needs, explains who prepares each one and what it does, looks closely at the air waybill, covers export clearance in China and import clearance in India, and ends with a timeline and a checklist.

For the wider set of import papers, see our document checklist for importing goods from China. For mistakes that come from paperwork, see common air freight mistakes.

The Core Documents

Document	Usually prepared by	What it does	What to check
Air waybill	The shipper, or the forwarder on its behalf	Starts the contract of carriage with the airline	Parties, weight, pieces, goods description
Commercial invoice	The seller	Records value, terms and description of the goods	Matches the packing list and air waybill
Packing list	The seller	Lists packages, contents, weights and dimensions	Matches the cargo as packed
Shipper's declaration for dangerous goods	The shipper	Declares that dangerous goods are prepared as the regulations require	Complete, legible and accurate
Export declaration	The consignor or its agent	Clears the goods for export from China	Correct timing and details
Bill of entry	The importer or its broker	Declares the goods for import into India	Accurate value, description and HS code
Licences and certificates	The issuing authority or supplier	Prove compliance for regulated goods	Required for your product category
Certificate of origin	The issuing body	Evidence of where the goods come from	Needed only where a rule or buyer requires it
Insurance certificate	The insurer or forwarder	Proof of cover	Value and terms

The Air Waybill in Detail

IATA describes the air waybill as a document created by or on behalf of the shipper that begins the contract with the carrier. It is non-negotiable, a shipment needs a minimum of eight copies, and the shipper is responsible for the accuracy of its information and liable for damages caused by errors. Charges are either prepaid by the shipper or collected from the consignee, and payment follows the currency on the air waybill, which is the origin currency.

The Montreal Convention sets the legal frame. Under Article 7, the air waybill is made out by the consignor in three original parts. Article 5 requires it to indicate the places of departure and destination and the weight of the consignment. Article 10 makes the consignor responsible for the correctness of the particulars and statements it inserts, and obliges it to indemnify the carrier against damage caused by their irregularity, incorrectness or incompleteness. Article 6 adds that the consignor may be required to provide a document indicating the nature of the cargo for customs and similar formalities.

The Electronic Air Waybill

IATA's e-freight page says its multilateral e-AWB agreement, Resolution 672, removes the requirement for a paper air waybill, so there is no need to print, handle or archive the paper. The agreement takes effect between an airline and a forwarder at a location only when the airline sends an activation notice. The Convention itself allows this: Article 4 says any other means that preserves a record of the carriage may be substituted for an air waybill. Whether an e-AWB is used for your shipment depends on your forwarder, the airline and the locations involved, so ask.

Commercial Invoice and Packing List

India's Foreign Trade Policy 2023 lists the mandatory import documents as the bill of lading, airway bill or equivalent, a commercial invoice cum packing list, and the bill of entry, and notes that a separate commercial invoice and packing list are also accepted. The invoice and the packing list have to agree with each other and with the air waybill: the same description, quantities, values and package counts. A mismatch is one of the most common reasons for a query. The same policy adds that the regulatory authority concerned may notify additional documents for goods subject to restrictions or product-specific compliance, so check whether your goods need more.

Cartons shrink-wrapped on pallets with barcode labels on warehouse racking — Labels, weights and paperwork must all describe the same cargo. Photo: Arum Visuals on Unsplash

Dangerous Goods Documentation

If any goods are dangerous goods, including products that contain lithium batteries, the paperwork is stricter. IATA says the shipper is responsible for the packaging, labelling and for completing the Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods, and that if the documents are not filled out correctly the goods cannot be accepted for shipment by air. Tell your forwarder before booking what the goods contain. Our guide to lithium battery shipping regulations covers the basics.

Export Documents From China

Chinese customs rules set the timing. Under Decree No. 103, the consignor of export goods may declare to customs itself or entrust an agent declaration enterprise, and the declaration is made after the goods arrive at the customs control area but 24 hours before loading. The decree dates from 2003, so ask your forwarder to confirm current practice. Under most trade terms the supplier or the forwarder files this declaration, so check who it is before the cargo is ready.

Import Documents in India

In India, Section 46 of the Customs Act, 1962 makes the importer responsible for presenting the bill of entry electronically, and allows it to be presented up to thirty days before the expected arrival of the aircraft. Section 46(4A) requires the importer to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information, the authenticity of supporting documents and compliance with any restriction or prohibition, and Section 17 requires the importer to self-assess the duty. Under Section 47, duty on a self-assessed entry is payable when the bill of entry is presented. Section 114AA allows a penalty of up to five times the value of the goods for knowingly or intentionally using a declaration that is false or incorrect in a material particular.

The importer also needs an Importer Exporter Code. The Foreign Trade Policy says no import may be made without one unless specifically exempted, and the DGFT IEC page explains the current procedure. Where a certificate of origin is needed, the Handbook of Procedures describes it as an instrument to establish evidence of the origin of goods imported into any country.

A Document Timeline

When	Documents and actions
Before booking	Confirm the goods description, HS code, Incoterm and whether any goods are regulated or dangerous
At cargo-ready	Prepare the invoice and packing list, and confirm packed dimensions and weights
At handover to the forwarder	Check the air waybill draft against the invoice and packing list
Before the flight	Confirm the export declaration is filed, and send the dangerous goods declaration if needed
During transit	Prepare and file the bill of entry, and arrange the duty funds
At arrival	Clear the goods, collect them and report any damage or shortage straight away

Common Documentation Problems

The goods description differs between the invoice, packing list and air waybill.
The weight or piece count on the paperwork differs from the cargo as packed.
A dangerous goods declaration is missing, incomplete or inaccurate.
The export declaration is filed late, or nobody knows who should file it.
The importer details or Importer Exporter Code on the bill of entry are wrong.
Required licences or certificates are not ready at the time of clearance.

A Document Checklist

Invoice and packing list agree and match the packed cargo.
The air waybill draft has been checked, including weight, pieces and parties.
Dangerous goods are declared correctly, or confirmed as not applicable.
The export declaration and its timing are confirmed.
The bill of entry is prepared, with accurate value, description and HS code.
The Importer Exporter Code is active.
Licences and certificates for regulated goods are in hand.
Insurance is in place for the full value.

Get Your Paperwork Reviewed by RR Brothers and Logistics

RR Brothers and Logistics checks documents against each other before an air shipment is booked, and supports customs clearance and brokerage at the destination. See our air freight service, or send us your cargo details and we will list the documents your shipment needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Usually an air waybill, a commercial invoice, a packing list, and export and import filings. Dangerous goods need a shipper's declaration, and regulated goods may need licences or certificates.

IATA describes it as a document created by or on behalf of the shipper that begins the contract with the carrier. It is non-negotiable, and the shipper is responsible for the accuracy of its information.

An electronic air waybill. IATA's Resolution 672 removes the requirement for a paper air waybill, and it applies between an airline and a forwarder at a location once the airline sends an activation notice.

The consignor is responsible for the correctness of the particulars in the air waybill under the Montreal Convention. In India, the importer must ensure the accuracy of the bill of entry under Section 46(4A).

Under Decree No. 103, after the goods arrive at the customs control area and 24 hours before loading. The decree dates from 2003, so confirm current practice with your forwarder.

Section 46 of the Customs Act allows it up to thirty days before the expected arrival of the aircraft, so it can be prepared while the cargo is in transit.

Sources

This article is general information, not legal, tax or customs advice. Rules, rates and procedures change; confirm current requirements with the relevant authority or a licensed customs professional before you ship. Regulatory references were checked against the official sources listed above on 25 October 2026.

Image credits: header photo by Jakub Żerdzicki on Unsplash; photo by Arum Visuals on Unsplash. Used under the Unsplash License.

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Air Cargo Documentation: What Importers and Exporters Should Know