Have Airwaybill But Where'S My Cargo?

[Zen]

i have a shipment coming in frm europe via consolidated air freight. The forwarder gave me a copy of the airwaybill showing the flight no and date. But my cargo never arrived in that flight! A check with the airline, found out that the forwarder never booked that flight! What could have happened? In my 10yrs importing cargo i have never experience anything like this. I thought the airwaybill means the goods will definitely be on that flight.

[NanLaew]

I have seen AWB's that indicate one thing whilst reality is another but usually that is the result of the airline changing flights or delaying or holding freight AFTER it has been received from the forwarder.

Have you asked your freight forwarder? I suspect that you already have as you have contacted the airline directly and they have told you it was never consigned. In that case, maybe your forwarder made a bogus AWB.

[Zen]

I also think the freight forwarder is dishonest. Even after the supposed flight arrived, they still told me my cargo is in that flight and i can proceed with customs. Finally i told them that i already checked with airline and airline confirmed there was no booking in the 1st place. Then the forwarder said oh will check with europe and revert. In this case what are my rights?

[Carib]

I think the rights that you have are to wait till the shipment comes in. As you stated in 10 years time this has never happened to you, well consider yourself lucky.

[nowork114]

I also think the freight forwarder is dishonest. Even after the supposed flight arrived, they still told me my cargo is in that flight and i can proceed with customs. Finally i told them that i already checked with airline and airline confirmed there was no booking in the 1st place. Then the forwarder said oh will check with europe and revert. In this case what are my rights?

Your Rights? - Keep your fingers crossed the cargo arrives ... nothing much you can do

[Fatfrank]

Use this link, click on the "Track & Trace icon at the left side of page, maybe this will help you

http://www.bangkokflightservices.com/

[opalhort]

Since you mention "consolidated shipment", the copy of the AWB you received is it of a House AWB or a Master AWB?

In order to track & trace on the airline's cargo web site you'll need the number of the Master AWB. This track & trace will also show you the booking status. It may have been booked but never been confirmed by the airline.

opalhort

[thequaife]

Hi Zen,

You must call Europe (your supplier) and double check if there are any shipping co. picked up your goods.

[NanLaew]

Well spotted opalhort. It's part of consolidated freight so the master AWB is what the OP needs to reference.

Before I would call the OP's forwarder dishonest, I would accuse them of just having very poor service and being a bit clueless. They are the ones best positioned to check on a customers freight from collection through delivery and the OP should not have needed to speak to the airline in order to tell the forwarder it wasn't consigned as billed. As I mentioned earlier, I had huge problems with consolidated freight being 'bounced' at CDG so I did my best to avoid that hub of inactivity!

Hopefully the OP's shipment is merely delayed and will show up. When it does, get another forwarder to handle future shipments for you.

[NanLaew]

I also think the freight forwarder is dishonest. Even after the supposed flight arrived, they still told me my cargo is in that flight and i can proceed with customs. Finally i told them that i already checked with airline and airline confirmed there was no booking in the 1st place. Then the forwarder said oh will check with europe and revert. In this case what are my rights?

Your Rights? - Keep your fingers crossed the cargo arrives ... nothing much you can do

The OP should be checking the fine print on (any) signed agreements in place with this forwarder rather than asking the forum members.

If there's no legalese attached to the 'contract' or if it's all verbal, then finger crossing is about all that remains.

[CWMcMurray]

I agree that you should be checking with your forwarder... what were the terms of the shipment ? EXW, FOB, CIF ?

If freight was prepaid, that means that is was the shipper's responsibility to handle the freight and they would have nominated the freight forwarder. In that case, I would be on the phone with the shipper as this would be there responsibility to sort this out.

If freight is collect, then you are the one to nominate the freight forwarder and you should nominate an agent that you know you can trust and they should be able to advise you what is going on....

It is also true that it is likely that you have the HAWB, not the MAWB and the MAWB is what is required to track through the airline, but most forwarders will have the MAWB # noted on their HAWB. If you are not sure about which number is the MAWB, it contains a 3 number prefix (which annotates the airline) and then 8 more numbers (all airlines have the same format).

Some one posted the site to BFS, but I am not sure how accurate their site is. You also have to remember that their are two cargo terminals at BKK airport , so BFS Cargo terminal only handles a little under half of the airlines coming into Thailand.

I have posted the best tracking website I have found below... it allows you to sort wither by airline name or airline prefix number...

Cargo tracking

Also remeber that if the cargo ends up lost or damaged... the airline's maximum liability is USD 20 per kg or invoice value of goods (which ever is less), so if the goods are worth more, you should by insurance.... it is not that expensive... premiums are generally around 0.08% of value of goods, so it really is worth insuring your goods

Edited September 17, 2010 by CWMcMurray