what is awb

An Air Waybill (AWB) is a document that accompanies goods shipped by an international air courier to provide detailed information about the shipment and allow it to be tracked. It is a legally binding transport document issued by a carrier or agent that provides details about the goods being shipped. The AWB serves as a receipt of goods by an airline, as well as a contract of carriage between the shipper and the carrier. It is a non-negotiable instrument and must include the shippers name and address, consignees name and address, destination airport, and value of contents, among other things. The AWB is a standard form distributed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). It is not a document of title to the goods, and it is not negotiable. The key difference between an air waybill and a bill of lading is that AWBs are issued in a non-negotiable form, and they do not cover the merchandise value as they are just for transportation, offering less protection than the bill of lading. An electronic air waybill (e-AWB) program and multilateral e-AWB Agreement remove the requirement for an air waybill to be issued as a paper document and therefore allow for electronic air waybill documentation.