Shipping dangerous goods by air can seem complicated. With strict safety standards in place, even a small oversight can lead to delays, rejected cargo, or unexpected costs. In some cases, something as simple as a missing international dialling code on documentation can result in recheck fees of up to £350.
In this guide, we’ll explain some of the most common challenges businesses face, and how expert support can help you move hazardous air freight without unnecessary delays or unexpected costs.
What are dangerous goods in air freight?
Dangerous goods, also known as hazardous goods, or hazmat in the US, are substances or items that could pose a risk to health, safety, property, or the environment during transport.
Air freight regulations are particularly strict because cargo travels through airports and on aircraft where safety is critical. As a result, every dangerous goods shipment must be properly classified, packed, and documented before it can be accepted for transport.
For air freight, dangerous goods are divided into nine main hazard classes:
- Class 1: Explosives – Materials and articles that present an explosion hazard
- E.g. ammunition
- Class 2: Gases – Compressed, liquefied or dissolved gases
- E.g. aerosols
- Class 3: Flammable Liquids – Liquids that can easily ignite during transport
- E.g. paint
- Class 4: Flammable Solids – Substances liable to Spontaneous Combustion; Substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases
- E.g. firelighters
- Class 5: Oxidising Substances and Organic Peroxides – Materials that can intensify combustion or cause chemical reactions
- E.g. hydrogen peroxide
- Class 6: Toxic and Infectious Substances – Substances that pose risks to human health through toxicity or infection
- E.g. biological substances (such as blood samples), pesticides
- Class 7: Radioactive Material – Radioactive substances and materials
- E.g. chemotherapy treatments
- Class 8: Corrosives – Materials capable of causing damage to skin, metals, or other goods
- E.g. mercury
- Class 9: Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods – A broad category that includes environmentally hazardous substances and other regulated items
- E.g. nail varnish
Keep in mind that some classes are further divided into sub-categories due to the wide range of products they cover.
It’s also easy to assume that a product may fall into a specific class, when in reality it falls under a different classification entirely. For example, the AA batteries in your TV remote may be classified as Class 8 if they are alkaline batteries, while rechargeable lithium batteries are classified as Class 9. Despite their similar appearance, they present different hazards and must therefore be handled differently during transport.
The foundation of every compliant shipment is correct classification. This includes identifying key information such as the UN number, proper shipping name, hazard class, packing group, and applicable packing instructions.
Lithium batteries: one of the most common dangerous goods shipped by air
Lithium batteries are among the most common and most scrutinised dangerous goods shipped by air.
Damaged batteries, incorrect packaging, or inaccurate declarations, can create serious safety risks, resulting in strict acceptance criteria across the industry. This makes them difficult, but not impossible, to ship via air freight.
Despite their strict regulations, they can still be transported successfully so long as you follow the correct rule for packaging, labelling, and documentation, and carefully consider your choice of airline in collaboration with your freight forwarder.
This is where expert support can make a significant difference. Understanding which airlines will accept certain battery shipments, how they must be packed, and what documentation is required can ensure your shipments are fully compliant and will not be rejected or delayed at the airport.
Country and airline variations
The IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) are the global industry standard and manual for safely shipping hazardous materials by air. However, many countries and airlines apply their own additional requirements beyond those detailed by the IATA. These are known as:
- State variations: additional rules imposed by individual countries
- Operator variations: additional requirements imposed by specific airlines
These can have a significant impact on shipments, with some variations restricting certain oxidising materials, battery types, quantities, routes, or packing instructions. Some may also require further information, advance approval, or specific wording on paperwork.
For example, Saudi Arabia’s SAG-02 variation requires shippers to cover the cost and risk of returning dangerous goods if they are not cleared within 10 working days of arrival.
Similarly, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines applies an operator variation known as KL-04, which prohibits the acceptance and handling of Toxic Gases (Division 2.3).
Along with the existing IATA DGR framework, keeping track of these variations and restrictions can be challenging. At the time of packing, you might not know where the goods are being shipped to or via, or who it will fly with, so you cannot pre-empt the variations. This means it’s easy to forget to refer back and check when it eventually dispatches.
At Baxter Freight, our team check both operator and state variations during the quotation process wherever possible, helping you identify suitable routing options early so you avoid surprises later down the line. With our extensive experience, we handle the complex details on your behalf, helping to ensure your dangerous goods shipment moves safely and efficiently.
What can go wrong with hazardous air freight?
Many dangerous goods shipments are rejected not because the goods themselves are prohibited, but because the shipment has been prepared incorrectly. These errors can result in delays, expensive recheck fees, additional correction costs, or even shipment refusal from the airline or handler.
Common causes of rejection include:
- Non-compliant packaging
- Quantities exceeding aircraft type limitations
- Missing, incorrect, damaged, or incorrectly placed labels
- Package type not matching the paperwork
- Incorrect or incomplete dangerous goods declarations
Documentation errors are one of the biggest causes of shipment delays. When shipping dangerous goods by air, attention to detail matters. Typical mistakes include:
- Incomplete addresses
- Missing contact details
- Incorrect classification data
- Contradictions with the DG Regulations
Even something as simple as missing an international dialling code can result in costs of up to £350.
This is just one reason why our team offers a pre-check process before collection. We ask our customers to provide us with clear photographs of the package(s), and a copy of the Dangerous Goods Declaration, so we can check all the details and provide guidance on any potential issues before your shipment is even collected.
How to pack dangerous goods for air freight
“Before a consignment of dangerous goods is offered for air transport, all relevant persons involved in its preparation must have received training to enable them to carry out the functions for which they are responsible.” (IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, 67th edition, 1.3.1)
When shipping dangerous goods by air, the shipper is ultimately responsible for ensuring compliance. Before selecting packaging, it’s important to check:
- UN number
- Hazard class
- Packing group (if applicable)
- Quantity limits
- Relevant packing instruction
Your chosen packaging and quantities can determine whether a shipment is eligible for passenger aircraft or cargo aircraft only, which can have a significant impact on transit times, routing options, and cost.
It’s also important to remember that just because something can move by road or sea, does not automatically mean it can also move by air. Goods will usually have to be packed differently.
Key things to consider:
- Follow the applicable packing instruction carefully, choosing the correct type of packaging in line with packing instructions
- Protect inner receptacles from movement, damage, and leakage
- Prevent accidental activation of battery-powered equipment
- Separate incompatible goods
- Apply the correct hazard labels, handling marks, and orientation arrows
Understanding the Dangerous Goods Declaration (DGD)
The Dangerous Goods Declaration (DGD), sometimes called the Shipper’s Declaration, is the most important document in hazardous air freight and accompanies the Air Waybill. It provides essential information about:
- What the goods are
- How they’re classified
- How they’re packed
- The person responsible for the declaration
The format is strict, and even minor errors can lead to goods being rejected.
Some of the most common errors include:
- Incorrect proper shipping names
- Missing technical names
- Incorrect packing instructions
- Missing package quantities
- Incomplete addresses
- Missing telephone country codes
For businesses unfamiliar with dangerous goods documentation, the terminology can be overwhelming. That’s why we focus on translating regulatory requirements into straightforward, practical guidance.
We can assist with packing and documentation, including doing this on-site at your premises where required, using our specialist hazardous packing suppliers.
The consequences of non-compliance
When dangerous goods shipments are not compliant, the impact can be both immediate and costly.
Possible immediate consequences include shipments being rejected, held at the airport, returned to the shipper, or delayed while mistakes are corrected.
Amendment charges can apply to provide replacement labels and documents, with recheck fees costing up to £350 per check. If errors are repeated, you could face further scrutiny on future shipments.
On a wider scale, this can lead to missed flights, failing delivery deadlines, additional costs for storage of goods, and consequently unhappy customers and possible reputational damage.
Misdeclared or undeclared dangerous goods are also treated as serious safety concerns and may trigger formal investigations by the airline or their handling agent, and could be escalated to the Civil Aviation Authorities (CAA).
This is why it’s so important to get it right from the start.
How Baxter Freight can help
Transporting dangerous goods by air doesn’t have to be difficult. Our specialist team combines more than 30 years of experience in dangerous goods packing, shipping, handling and acceptance, and each team member holds IATA-certified dangerous goods qualifications.
We have the experience to break down the complexity and provide you with practical advice that focuses on real-world solutions, we don’t just quote you the regulations. You can speak to us before booking, packing, or dispatching freight.
We can help you with:
- Confirming whether your goods can travel by air
- State and operator variations
- Dangerous goods paperwork support
- Packaging and labelling checks
- Pre-shipment compliance reviews
- General dangerous goods advice
- Site visits and third-party packing services
Our pre-check service is designed to identify issues before your shipment is even collected. We ask our customers to provide:
- Clear photographs of all surfaces of all packages
- Photographs of all labels and markings
- A copy of the Dangerous Goods Declaration (DGD)
We then check all the details and provide you with guidance around any potential problems.
Helping your business fly
At Baxter Freight, we are your Solutions Architects. Our experienced Aviate team works closely with airlines and partners worldwide to secure capacity, optimise routes, and manage costs effectively, and sustainably.
If you’re unsure whether your products qualify as dangerous goods, or you want confidence that your shipment is fully compliant before it reaches the airport, our team is here to help.
We’ll break the requirements down into practical steps, help you avoid unexpected costs, and ensure your cargo is ready to fly without unnecessary delays.
Get in touch with one of our experts today and explore how we can help you ship your goods by air.
