Handling Compensation and Claim Procedures for Air Cargo Transportation Anomalies

How to Claim Compensation for Air Transported Goods with Problems? Handling Compensation for Abnormal Transport of Goods

In today's increasingly frequent international trade, air transport has become an important way for many companies to quickly deliver goods. However, due to various uncontrollable factors in actual operations, air transported goods may encounter delays, damage, or even loss. When these situations occur, the consignor needs to take timely measures to protect their own rights. So, how should the consignor claim compensation when air transported goods experience abnormal transportation?

Firstly, the consignor needs to be clear that the International Air Transport Association IATA has established a standard for the limit of airline cargo compensation liability. According to this standard, airlines usually set a compensation limit of $20 per kilogram for goods. This means that if the goods are damaged or lost due to the carrier's fault, the consignor can obtain a certain amount of compensation from the airline. However, it is worth noting that this compensation standard only applies to goods without prior declared value. If the consignor hopes to receive a higher compensation amount, they need to declare the actual value of the goods in advance at the time of shipment and pay the corresponding additional fees.

After encountering problems with air transported goods, the consignor should immediately contact the airline or freight forwarding company responsible for the shipment, detailing the specific condition and extent of the loss. At the same time, the consignor also needs to provide relevant proof materials such as shipping documents, cargo lists, invoices, etc., to enable the airline to verify the situation. For example, in a case in 2025, a logistics company shipped a batch of electronic products overseas via air transport, but part of the equipment failed to arrive on time due to flight delays. The logistics company then submitted detailed information about the goods and loss list to the airline, ultimately successfully obtaining partial compensation.

The consignor should also keep all records of communication with the airline, including email exchanges, phone recordings, etc., in case of possible future disputes. If both parties cannot reach an agreement on the compensation amount, the consignor can consider seeking help from third-party mediation agencies or directly resorting to legal channels to resolve the issue. In recent years, with the development of e-commerce, an increasing number of consumers have begun purchasing goods through cross-border e-commerce platforms, which has also led to an increase in the number of disputes caused by logistics issues. For instance, media reports mentioned that a consumer purchased an imported cosmetic product through a cross-border e-commerce platform, but due to unexpected events during the air transport, the product became spoiled and unusable. The consumer then contacted the platform customer service and provided relevant evidence, eventually receiving a full refund.

Besides the above steps, the consignor can also reduce risks by purchasing air cargo insurance. Air cargo insurance provides additional protection for goods, minimizing economic losses even in the event of accidents. Statistics show that common air cargo insurance products currently available in the market cover various types of risks such as natural disasters and human errors, with premiums typically calculated as a proportion of the value of the goods. For enterprises that place high importance on the safety of their goods, purchasing such insurance is a wise choice.

In summary, when air transported goods encounter abnormal transportation, the consignor should remain calm, actively communicate and negotiate with the airline, and properly preserve all related documents. Only in this way can the consignor ensure that their legitimate rights are fully protected. Meanwhile, strengthening cooperation with professional logistics service providers is also one of the effective ways to avoid similar problems. After all, professional services not only improve transportation efficiency but also provide more timely and effective solutions when problems arise.