• An air waybill is a document that gives more detail about the dangerous goods that are being shipped.

Air waybills are simply documents that give more detail about the cargo being shipped. When dangerous goods are involved, air waybills have additional requirements as provided in the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) Section 8.2.

The “Handling Information” section of an air waybill accompanying dangerous goods must include:

1. A statement declaring “Dangerous goods as per associated Shipper’s Declaration” or “Dangerous Goods as per associated DGD” and/or “Cargo Aircraft Only” or “CAO.”
2. When mixed shipments of dangerous goods and non-dangerous goods are involved, the number of pieces of dangerous goods. This information can appear before or after the statement in item 1.

If a Shipper’s Declaration is not required for the shipment, the “Nature and Quantity of Goods” box on an air waybill must show the following:

• UN or ID number (not required for Magnetized Material);
• Proper shipping name;
• Number of packages (unless these are the only packages within the consignment); and
• Net quantity per package (required only for UN 1845). The order of these items is not mandated, but the order provided above is preferred.

Excepted quantities

The requirements specified above for the “Handling Information” and “Nature and Quantity of Goods” do not apply to “excepted quantities of dangerous goods,” but the air waybill must reflect this information. The air waybill’s “Nature and Quantity of Goods” box must state, “Dangerous Goods in Excepted Quantities” along with the number of packages (unless these are the only packages within the consignment).