Cargo Aircraft Leasing and Air Freight Charter

When it is needed

Scheduled air cargo
does not carry every load

Scheduled services are limited in capacity, in time windows and in the cargo types they accept. Cargo charter is arranged for shipments that fall outside those limits.

On a scheduled cargo flight your consignment is planned alongside other shipments. You do not set the departure time, the number of transfers or the order of priority. For heavy, long, dangerous or temperature-controlled cargo, the acceptance decision also varies from flight to flight.

On a charter flight the aircraft is planned for your shipment alone. That flexibility comes at a higher unit cost, so charter is not the right answer for every shipment and we assess each request with that in mind first.

Direct carriage with no transfers. The cargo travels from origin to destination on a single flight.
Time-critical shipments. Consignments that carry the risk of production downtime, a site failure or contractual penalties.
Cargo a scheduled service will not accept. Oversize, extra-heavy items or pieces that need special handling.
Destinations with no scheduled service. Points with no cargo route, or where capacity is already full.
Cargo security and control. Reducing the number of handling steps for high-value or sensitive consignments.
Bulk capacity requirements. Planned movement of more than one planeload at a time.

Models

Charter and lease models

A one-off shipment and a supply line that has to run continuously do not call for the same contract. We first establish how often you ship, then recommend the model.

Common

Full aircraft charter

The entire capacity of the aircraft is allocated to one shipment. Departure time, routing and the loading plan are built around your requirement. It is the preferred model for heavy, bulky or time-critical cargo.

Partial capacity (part charter)

If the cargo does not fill an aircraft, the remaining capacity on a suitable charter flight is used. The cost is shared, but flexibility over departure time and routing narrows.

Long-term capacity and ACMI

Term capacity agreements for organisations with regular shipments. Aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance are provided by the operator; the contract is based on block hours or on the number of flights.

Cargo types

Each cargo type needs
different preparation

Every cargo requires its own documentation, packaging and ground handling. When we take a request we first establish exactly what the cargo is, then select the aircraft and the operator accordingly.

Heavy and oversize cargo

Items such as generators, turbines, construction machinery and drilling equipment. Door dimensions, deck floor strength and the lashing plan are calculated in advance; where needed we direct the shipment to a ramp-loading aircraft type.

Dangerous goods (DGR)

Acceptance conditions vary by class. Nothing is loaded without a UN number, a safety data sheet (MSDS/SDS), a packing group and an IATA DGR declaration. Some classes travel on cargo aircraft only; some cannot be carried at all.

Cold chain and pharmaceuticals

Medicines, vaccines and biological samples that must stay within a set temperature range. The choice of active or passive temperature-controlled container, apron holding time and data logger monitoring are planned together.

Live animals (AVI)

Breeding stock, racehorses, pets and zoological transfers. Crates compliant with the IATA Live Animals Regulations, a veterinary health certificate, a CITES permit where required and an attendant arrangement are needed.

AOG and spare parts shipments

Engine, landing gear or component shipments when an aircraft is grounded (AOG). The certification of the part, the dimensions of the engine stand and the lifting equipment available on arrival are checked from the outset.

E-commerce and seasonal capacity

Volumes that exceed scheduled capacity during promotional periods, product launches and the start of a season. A single flight or a series of flights is planned according to pallet count and delivery date.

Aircraft types

Capacity-based
aircraft groups

The groups below show, as categories, the types commonly used in the air cargo market. Which group fits is determined by the weight, volume, piece dimensions and distance of the cargo.

Turboprop and regional

~5 – 10 tonnes

ATR 72 freighter conversion
Saab 340F
Fokker 50F
CRJ200 PF

Narrowbody freighter

~15 – 25 tonnes

Boeing 737-400F
Boeing 737-800BCF
Airbus A321P2F
Boeing 757-200F

Widebody mid-capacity

~45 – 65 tonnes

Boeing 767-300F
Airbus A330-200F
MD-11F

Heavy freighters

~100 – 130 tonnes

Boeing 747-400F
Boeing 747-8F
Boeing 777F

Ramp-loading special capacity

oversize

Ilyushin Il-76
Antonov class
Rolling / non-palletised loading

Helicopter and short haul

slung load

Power transmission lines
Island and offshore
Sites with no road access

The aircraft type list is not a fleet declaration

Gazali Aviation is not an aircraft operator and has no cargo fleet of its own. The types above are given to show the common categories that can be sourced through our international operator network. The capacity ranges are typical and approximate; payload, door dimensions and range differ between individual registrations of the same type. Whether a particular type is available on the date and route you request becomes clear at the quotation stage, on operator confirmation.

Process

How a shipment
is run

Cargo charter does not end with finding an aircraft. When the steps from cargo acceptance to delivery are not tracked from a single point, the flight ends up waiting.

01

Building the cargo profile

Weight, piece dimensions, pallet count, packaging type, the nature of the cargo and the delivery date are established. Dangerous goods or temperature control are declared at this step.

02

Aircraft type and operator selection

Types matching the cargo profile are identified and quotes are collected from operators in our network. Certificate validity, insurance cover and cargo handling capability are checked.

03

Routing, slots and permits

Slots at the departure and arrival airports, overflight and landing permits, and technical stop points where needed are planned. For special cargo, authority approval is obtained separately.

04

Documentation and customs file

The air waybill (AWB), invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and the required declarations are prepared. The flow of documents between the customs broker, the shipper and the consignee is tracked.

05

Ground handling and loading

Coordination with the ground handling company covers loading equipment, forklifts or cranes, ULD and pallet supply, the lashing plan and the weight and balance calculation.

06

Flight tracking and delivery

The flight is monitored from departure to arrival, and unloading and customs clearance on arrival are coordinated. At the end of the shipment the cost items are reported in writing.

Documents

Documentation and customs
coordination

A large share of delays in air cargo comes not from the aircraft but from missing paperwork. Before the shipment starts we set out in writing which document is to come from whom.

For dangerous goods, live animal and pharmaceutical shipments in particular, preparing the documents can take longer than planning the flight. We therefore build the schedule backwards from the documentation.

Responsibility for the declaration

The customs declaration is the responsibility of the licensed customs broker and the shipper. Gazali Aviation is not the declarant in this process; it sets up the flow of information between the parties, identifies missing documents early and updates the flight plan accordingly.

Air waybill (AWB) and packing list
Commercial invoice, certificate of origin and, where required, a movement certificate
Export and import declarations, and transit documents on routes that require a transit procedure
An ATA Carnet for temporary export shipments
IATA DGR declaration, UN number and safety data sheet (MSDS/SDS)
A veterinary health certificate and, where required, a CITES permit for live animal shipments
Temperature records and transport condition documents for pharmaceutical and cold chain shipments
An additional insurance policy and a declared value for high-value cargo

Special operations

Humanitarian aid and
disaster logistics

In disaster and emergency relief shipments the decision window is short. Before finding an aircraft, the aim is to confirm that the arrival airport can accept and unload that cargo.

In earthquakes, floods and similar events airports become congested and apron space and loading equipment stay limited. We therefore select the aircraft type not by tonnage alone, but also by what can be unloaded on arrival. Aircraft with their own loading ramp can be decisive at airports where equipment is inadequate.

Confirmation of the arrival airport's capacity, apron and unloading equipment
Assessment of aircraft types that have their own ramp or loading system
Following up the official correspondence needed for customs exemption on relief goods
Planning a series of flights and distributing the cargo between them
Technical stop planning for points where refuelling is uncertain
Post-flight delivery record and cost reporting

Legal framework

All cargo flights are performed under the operating certificate and the responsibility of the relevant operator. Gazali Aviation holds no AOC; our role is limited to operator selection, the contract and the management of the shipment process.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The questions we are asked most often about cargo charter requests, with direct answers.

How is cargo charter pricing determined?

Pricing is built on block hours. Aircraft type, flight time, the positioning (ferry) legs needed to bring the aircraft to the departure point, fuel, airport and ground handling charges, overflight permits and crew costs make up the total. Customs duties and import levies are not included in the price.

Do I need to charter an aircraft for a single pallet?

In most cases, no. For small volumes, scheduled cargo capacity or partial capacity (part charter) on a suitable flight is more reasonable. We recommend a full aircraft charter only when time, security or the cargo type makes it necessary.

Can dangerous goods be carried?

It depends on the class of the substance. Some classes may travel on cargo aircraft only, some require authority approval, and some cannot be carried by air at all. To assess it we need the UN number, the safety data sheet (MSDS/SDS), the packing group and the net quantity.

How soon can a shipment depart?

The deciding factor is not the aircraft but the paperwork and the permits. An AOG parts shipment whose documents are ready can be planned the same day. For dangerous goods, live animals or routes that need permits, preparation can take a few days. When we receive the request we give a realistic departure window.

Do you handle customs clearance yourselves?

The customs declaration is filed by a licensed customs broker; responsibility for the declaration rests with the shipper and the consignee. We coordinate the flow of documents between the broker, the operator and ground handling, and identify missing paperwork before it affects the flight plan.

Do you own the aircraft?

No. Gazali Aviation has no fleet and holds no AOC. Flights are performed by operators in our international network, under their own operating certificates. Being independent lets us recommend the aircraft that suits your cargo rather than whatever a single operator happens to have.

How is cargo insurance arranged?

The operator's carrier liability insurance is capped by the weight-based limits set in the international conventions. For high-value shipments we recommend taking out separate cargo insurance; we coordinate the declared value and the issuing of the policy.

Do regular shipments need a new quote every time?

No. For regular shipments a term capacity agreement or a block hour contract can be put in place. That removes the need to run a new price search for every shipment and makes the schedule predictable.