Est. 1996. One contact per shipment, every time.
Est. 1996. One contact per shipment, every time.
AIR FREIGHT
When your cargo cannot wait for sea or road, air freight is the fastest route to market. Our Portishead team coordinates collection, carrier selection and delivery for commercial B2B cargo worldwide. One named contact manages every stage. B2B commercial cargo only.
We take full accountability for our services. You will never hear us blame subcontractors or pass responsibility.
We never keep you waiting. Our proactive team aims to answer all enquiries within 30 minutes.
No automated lines or tickets. Get 1 single point of contact so you never get passed around.
We keep you fully updated on your transports, letting you focus entirely on your core business.
AIR FREIGHT
Air freight is the fastest mode of international cargo movement, with transit times from 1 to 10 working days depending on service level and destination. Our Portishead team coordinates every booking from UK collection through to door delivery at the destination.
We offer 4 service tiers to match your timeline and budget. Next-day services use the fastest available routing for time-critical consignments. Priority air freight achieves delivery in 1 to 3 working days, suited to urgent but not same-day cargo. Standard services run from 5 to 10 working days for planned shipments. Deferred air freight offers the most cost-effective option when lead time allows. All 4 tiers are available on import, export and cross-trade movements.
We coordinate air freight exports and imports across the primary trade lanes used by UK businesses, including the USA, China, India, Japan, the UAE and Australia. For each consignment we select the most appropriate carrier, routing and service level before confirming your booking. Incoterms 2020 options including DAP, DDP, FOB and EXW are all supported. Customs coordination is handled via our dedicated Felixstowe agents exclusively alongside your air freight shipment. Our landside operations team manages every stage from UK collection to destination delivery. B2B commercial cargo only. We do not handle personal effects or household moves.
Our Portishead team handles every stage of your air freight booking on your behalf. From the moment you request a quote to the moment your cargo is confirmed delivered, one named coordinator is accountable throughout.
Once you have approved your air freight quote, your named coordinator confirms the booking and requests the documentation required for your consignment. Depending on the origin, destination and cargo type, this may include an air waybill, export licence, packing list and package dimensions.
We coordinate the documentation on your behalf and flag any requirements specific to your destination before collection takes place. You do not need to navigate HMRC or carrier documentation requirements alone.
Your coordinator arranges collection directly from your place of business at a time that suits your operation. We confirm a collection window in advance, and our ground transport partners accommodate a wide range of consignment sizes and configurations from individual cartons through to palletised cargo.
Once collected, your consignment is booked onto the confirmed air carrier routing and prepared for export security screening at the departure airport. Your coordinator keeps you updated from the moment the vehicle is dispatched to collect.
Your cargo undergoes export security screening and documentation checks at the departure airport in line with UK customs regulations and IATA requirements before it is loaded onto the aircraft.
Your consignment is weighed, labelled and loaded under the air waybill reference assigned to your booking. Our Felixstowe-based customs agents file the relevant export declarations alongside your shipment. Your coordinator notifies you of departure confirmation and provides the air waybill number for your records.
On arrival at the destination airport, your cargo is offloaded, inspected by the destination country customs authority and cleared against the documentation filed at origin. Our ground partners at the destination manage the import clearance process and any applicable duties on your behalf.
Once cleared, your consignment is collected from the destination airport and delivered to the final address. Your coordinator confirms delivery and provides proof of receipt. For any queries post-delivery, your named contact remains the single point of accountability.
Choosing the right air freight forwarder makes a measurable difference to your supply chain. Here is what you get when you book air freight with our Portishead team. B2B commercial cargo only.
Air freight is one of 4 modes we operate at Plexus Freight, alongside sea freight, road freight and rail freight. The right mode depends on your cargo type, destination, lead time and budget. For consignments where speed is the priority, air freight has no equal. For bulk or heavy cargo where lead time allows, sea or road freight will usually deliver a lower cost per kg. Our team recommends the right mode for your specific consignment before you commit to a booking.
Air freight is the fastest international cargo mode. Priority services deliver to the USA in 2 to 4 working days and China in 3 to 5. Nothing matches this intercontinental transit speed.
Sea freight from China takes 25 to 35 days via direct FCL sailing. While European road freight is competitive, air freight remains the only viable choice for intercontinental shipments requiring under 10 days transit.
Air freight uses chargeable weight, taking the greater of actual or volumetric weight. Standard routing rates range from £2.50 to £5.00 per kg, rising to £6.00 to £8.00 per kg on urgent priority services.
Sea freight provides a lower cost per kg for heavy cargo when lead times allow. However, for lighter, high-value goods, air freight offers a strong cost-per-unit outcome by preventing expensive stock delays.
Aircraft weight and dimension limits make air freight ideal for lighter, high-value cargo. Standard belly-hold height is 60 inches, while specialist freighter aircraft accommodate oversized industrial cargo up to 120 inches tall.
Sea and road freight handle bulk, heavy and out-of-gauge cargo much cheaper. If your consignment exceeds air cargo dimension limits, our team will recommend sea freight or road freight.
Air freight requires origin and destination customs declarations. Our dedicated Felixstowe agents handle your UK-side customs entry exclusively alongside your air shipment, managing CDS entries, EORI verification and commodity codes.
Destination import customs are managed via our local ground partners. You never navigate documentation alone. We provide full customs coordination strictly alongside your air freight booking, never as a standalone service.
Sending deliveries by air freight forwarding is one of the safest methods for multiple reasons. Other than putting the cargo on and off the plane, it doesn’t undergo a lot of handling in the same way as road, sea, and rail freight services do.
This makes it the top choice for goods that are fragile or have a high value. Air freight delivery with Plexus Freight comes with in-transit tracking on our online platform.
Our Portishead team has coordinated international air freight movements since 1996, leveraging 30 years of routing knowledge and carrier relationships to secure space on primary global trade lanes. We eliminate communication gaps by assigning a single named coordinator to your account, ensuring transparent updates from initial collection to final delivery confirmation. B2B commercial cargo only.
We manage all landside logistics and documentation on your behalf, allowing your team to focus on core operations while our dedicated Felixstowe customs agents file accurate export and import declarations alongside your freight. Our regular international air network securely routes cargo across key global hubs including the USA, China, India, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, UAE, South Africa and Australia.
Answers to the most common questions about our international air freight services.
Air freight is charged on chargeable weight, which is the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight. Volumetric weight divides the total cubic centimetres of the consignment by 6,000. Standard rates run from £2.50 to £5.00 per kg on established routes, rising to £6.00 to £8.00 per kg for priority services.
Priority air freight from the UK to the USA typically takes 2 to 4 working days. China runs from 3 to 5 working days. India and the UAE from 3 to 5 working days. Deferred services run from 5 to 10 working days depending on routing and carrier availability. Your coordinator confirms the realistic transit time for your specific lane before booking.
Customs coordination is handled by our dedicated Felixstowe agents exclusively alongside your air freight shipment. We coordinate UK export declarations and work with our ground partners at the destination to manage import clearance. Customs support is not offered as a standalone service and is only available as part of your air freight booking.
Air freight is best suited to time-critical, high-value or perishable cargo where speed and security justify the premium over sea or road. Common air freight cargo includes pharmaceuticals, electronics, automotive components, luxury goods and temperature-sensitive products. We handle B2B commercial cargo only and do not accept personal effects or household moves.
Yes. Our Portishead team coordinates air freight imports into the UK, exports from the UK to international destinations, and cross-trade movements between countries where goods do not route through the UK. One named coordinator manages every booking regardless of direction, with proactive updates at every stage from collection through to delivery confirmation.
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