Air Waybill (AWB)
The air cargo version of a bill of lading. Unlike a bill of lading, it is never a document of title.
An air waybill is the contract of carriage and the carrier's receipt for goods moving by air. It is issued in a set, travels with the shipment, and carries an eleven-digit number beginning with the airline's three-digit prefix.
The main difference from an ocean bill of lading is that an air waybill is not negotiable and gives no title to the goods. The carrier releases the goods to the named consignee once they prove who they are. There is no original to hand over. This makes air freight quicker to collect, but it also means the air waybill cannot be used as security for payment. If you have not been paid, an air waybill will not hold the cargo for you.
As with ocean freight, there are house and master versions. A consolidator issues a house air waybill to each shipper and moves all of them under one master air waybill.
Also called: airway bill, air consignment note.