Knowledge
Cargo charter quote requirements
A precise requirement produces a sharper proposal. The information below is what a charter desk needs to source aircraft and price reliably, and why each item changes the answer.
To quote a cargo charter a broker needs origin and destination, ready date and latest arrival, commodity, total weight, piece count, dimensions and weight per piece, stackability, dangerous-goods or temperature data, and whether the move is airport-to-airport or door-to-door.
Route and timing
Origin and destination airports, or the loading and delivery addresses if you need door-to-door. Airport choice is not cosmetic: runway length, freighter handling capability, curfew, customs hours and available ground equipment decide which aircraft can actually be used.
Give the cargo ready date and time, the latest acceptable arrival, and how much tolerance exists either side. A window of a few hours can change the price materially because it changes which aircraft in which position can serve the mission.
Weights, pieces and dimensions
Total gross weight, number of pieces, and length x width x height plus weight for each piece. Dimensions per piece decide loadability against main-deck and side-door envelopes, so a single oversized item can move the requirement from a B737F to a B747F or an An-124.
State whether pieces are stackable, whether they are on pallets, skids or in crates, the centre of gravity and any lifting points on heavy items, and the floor loading in kg per square metre if the piece is dense.
Commodity and regulatory classification
Describe the commodity plainly. For dangerous goods provide the UN number, class and division, packing group, proper shipping name, packing instruction and net quantity per package, and confirm whether a DG declaration and MSDS are available. Lithium batteries, aerosols and Class 1 explosives need this before any operator will confirm.
For pharmaceuticals and perishables state the temperature band, the packaging solution (active container, passive box, dry ice quantity), monitoring requirements and the maximum acceptable time out of refrigeration. For live animals state species, count, crate or stall dimensions, veterinary documentation and CITES status.
Handling and ground scope
Airport-to-airport or door-to-door, who handles export and import customs, whether loading equipment is available at both ends, whether a nose loader, main-deck loader or crane is required, and any escort, security or supervision requirement.
For outsize pieces a survey of the road route to the airport is often the constraint that decides the airport, not aircraft availability.
Commercial context
Shipper and consignee, incoterms if relevant, insurance value, whether the flight is single or part of a series, budget context if any, and the decision timeline. A desk that knows a decision is due in two hours sources differently to one quoting for a tender.
Also give one named contact who is reachable on the day of operation. Charter missions move quickly and delays are usually caused by unreachable decision-makers.
What you get back
A comparable set of options with aircraft type, routing including technical stops, timings, payload and loadability against your pieces, what is included and excluded, validity, and the assumptions applied. Supplier identities, margins and internal sourcing detail stay with us.
Registered customers submit the requirement once in the portal and see the options, status history and messages in one place.
What if I don't have final dimensions?+
Send a working estimate and a realistic maximum. The desk quotes with documented assumptions and revises once final dimensions are confirmed, which is normal in project and AOG work.
How long is a charter quote valid?+
Typically hours rather than days on ad-hoc missions, because aircraft position, slots and fuel move. Each option carries its own validity date and time.
Do you need the shipper and consignee names?+
Yes for the operating documentation and for regulatory screening, but commercial detail is only shared where an operator or authority requires it.
Do I need an account to submit a requirement?+
No. You can send a requirement by form, email or phone at any time without an account. A free company account is optional and adds status tracking, document exchange and enquiry history; company verification applies to RFQs raised in the portal, not to first contact.
More answers in the FAQ hub with 50+ questions.
Move the next mission
Send the requirement and the desk will come back with sourced options, or call now if it is time-critical.