In recent years, with the rapid development of logistics, air transport will also play an important role in freight. What is air transport and what are the characteristics of air transport? The following is a detailed introduction from Wutong.com!

What is air transport

Air transport is also known as aircraft transport, referred to as air transport. It is a mode of transport that uses aircraft as a means of transport to transport goods under the conditions of air routes and airports.

The weight of goods transported by air is calculated by gross weight. The calculation unit is kilograms. If the weight is less than 1 kilogram, it is calculated as 1 kilogram, and the decimals exceeding 1 kilogram are rounded up. The weight of each piece of cargo loaded on non-wide-body aircraft generally does not exceed 80 kilograms, and the volume generally does not exceed 40*60*100 cm. The weight of each piece of cargo loaded on wide-body aircraft generally does not exceed 250 kilograms. The volume generally does not exceed 250*200*160 cm. For goods exceeding the above weight and volume, Northwest Company will determine whether they can be collected and transported based on specific conditions. Goods with a volume of more than 6,000 cubic centimeters per kilogram are weighed as light and bulky goods. Light and bulky goods are measured at 1 kilogram per 6,000 cubic centimeters.

Characteristics of air transport

(1) Commodity.

The product provided by air transport is a special form of product - spatial displacement. Its product form is to change the spatial displacement of the air transport object. The product units are "passenger-kilometers" and "ton-kilometers". The commodity attributes of air transport products are finally realized through the purchasing behavior of product users in the air transport market.

(2) Service.

The air transport industry belongs to the tertiary industry and is a service industry. It reflects the quantity of services by the amount of "spatial displacement" provided, and reflects the quality of services by service means and service attitude. This attribute determines that carriers must continuously expand their capacity to meet the growing product demand in society, follow the principle of "passengers first" and "users first", and provide product users with safe, convenient, comfortable and punctual high-quality services.

(3) International.

Air transport has become the most important form of transportation in modern society and a link between international political exchanges and economic cooperation. This includes both international friendly cooperation and fierce international competition. In terms of services, freight rates, technical coordination, business management and the formulation and implementation of laws and regulations, they are all subject to the constraints of international unified standards and the influence of the international air transport market.

(4) Paramilitary.

Human aviation activities were first put into the military field and then turned to civilian use. In modern warfare, mastering air supremacy is an important factor in gaining the initiative in war. Therefore, many countries have stipulated in their laws that the fleets and related personnel owned by air transport enterprises serve the national economic construction in peacetime as a military reserve force. In wartime or emergency, civil aviation can be requisitioned by the state in accordance with legal procedures to serve military needs.

(5) Capital, technology, and risk intensiveness.

The aviation transport industry is a high-investment industry. Both transportation tools and other transportation equipment are expensive and costly. Therefore, its operating costs are very high. Due to its high technical requirements, complex equipment operation, and high degree of interdependence between departments, the aviation transport industry is highly risky in its operation. No government or organization in any country has the corresponding financial resources to subsidize its own aviation transport enterprises like subsidizing urban public transportation. For this reason, the aviation transport industry is considered not to be a social welfare undertaking in countries around the world, and must be profitable to maintain its normal operation and development.

(6) Natural monopoly. Due to the huge investment in the aviation transport industry, the high concentration of capital, technology and risks, the long investment recovery period, the strict restrictions on the qualifications of aviation transport entities, the high market entry threshold, and historical reasons, the aviation transport industry has formed a natural monopoly in the process of development.