House Air Waybill (HAWB)

A house air waybill (HAWB) is the transport document a freight forwarder or consolidator issues to a shipper in air freight: its receipt for the goods and the evidence of its own contract with that shipper. The airline's air waybill, the master air waybill (MAWB), is issued to the forwarder and covers the consolidation as a whole. For what an air waybill is, and why it is not a document of title, see air waybill (AWB).

How house and master air waybills fit together

• The forwarder collects cargo from several shippers bound for the same destination and tenders it to the airline as one consolidation under one MAWB. On the master, the forwarder deals with the airline, and its office or agent at destination receives the consolidation
• Each shipper gets its own HAWB naming the actual shipper and consignee, the pieces, weight and description of its goods
• At destination the consolidation is broken down (deconsolidation) and each house shipment is released to its consignee against its HAWB
• A shipment large enough to travel alone can move on its own MAWB, with no house document between the airline and the shipper

What CBP requires at house level

For flights to the United States, the air manifest must carry house air waybill data (the master and house numbers, origin airport, description, quantity, weight, shipper and consignee), transmitted by the airline or by another eligible filer. CBP must receive it no later than 4 hours before arrival, or by departure for flights from nearby foreign areas (19 CFR 122.48a). Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) data is filed at the lowest air waybill level, which means the house air waybill where there is one, as early as practicable and no later than before the cargo is loaded (19 CFR 122.48b).

Who is liable to the shipper

Article 39 of the Montreal Convention distinguishes the contracting carrier, which makes the contract of carriage with the shipper, from the actual carrier, which performs the carriage with the contracting carrier's authority. A forwarder that issues its own HAWB as principal can stand in the first role, with the airline in the second. Either way, the Convention's per-kilogram limit applies unless a higher value is declared.

HAWB vs house bill of lading

The ocean counterpart is the house bill of lading an NVOCC issues under the ocean carrier's master bill. The structure is the same; the difference is that an ocean bill can be issued as a negotiable document of title, while an air waybill never is.

Common mistakes

• Tracking a house shipment on the airline's website: the airline knows the master number, while the HAWB is tracked with the forwarder
• A HAWB whose piece count, weight or description differs from the commercial invoice and packing list, which invites a hold at entry
• Shipping high-value, light cargo without insurance or a declared value, leaving only the Convention limit to claim against

Airlift is an Indirect Air Carrier and issues house air waybills on the air freight shipments it books.