By Jennifer Chang    Photo：CANVA

When cargo owners ship goods by air, they sometimes receive a notification from the freight forwarder, "Sorry, your cargo was offloaded by the airline and cannot arrive at the destination on time." This situation will make the cargo owner feel frustrated and dissatisfied. , they originally expected the goods to be delivered on time, and may no longer want to hear any explanation. However, freight forwarders would never intentionally cause such a situation.

We strive to provide the best service to our customers, avoiding any delays or issues. So, Ｗhy does cargo be offloaded by airlines?

To understand why cargo is offloaded by airlines, it is first necessary to consider the factors that cause this situation. We are discussing the case of general cargo, and special cargo is not included in this discussion. Special cargo includes human organs, human remains, or live animals, etc. These types of cargo have the highest priority and must be prioritized regardless of other circumstances. In addition to special cargo, cargo that chooses premium or guaranteed time-sensitive services also has a higher priority. Aircraft cargo has limited space and weight allowance for goods, and the demand for space and weight may exceed the available supply.

Airlines prioritize the loading sequence based on the availability of cargo space and the urgency of the goods. However, when the aircraft's cargo hold is insufficient, the airline may have to offload some goods to accommodate more urgent shipments. This means that some goods may need to wait for the next flight to be transported to the destination.

Furthermore, cargo structure ( referring to the shape, size, and weight of the cargo) can also be a reason for offloading. If the cargo structure is not good, leading to incomplete palletization or the need for additional pallets that cannot be consolidated with other goods, it can result in wasted space and the scattering of other goods during the palletization process. Imagine a scenario where many other goods are affected and unable to be loaded onto the aircraft as a whole due to a single shipment. The issue lies not with the other goods but with this particular shipment.

From the airline's perspective, this shipment may need to be partially offloaded or even entirely offloaded until a suitable cargo structure is available to be consolidated with.

Climate factors can also lead to airlines adjusting cargo transportation. Adverse weather conditions such as storms, heavy snowfall, etc., can impact flight safety. In such cases, airlines may implement payload reduction measures to ensure aircraft safety. This may involve unloading some cargo or delaying the loading of cargo to lighten the aircraft's weight, thereby enhancing flight stability and safety. While this may inconvenience cargo owners, ensuring flight safety is the primary concern for airlines.
 

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