What is the Difference between Master Airway Bill and House AirWay Bill

Air Transport main bill Master Air Way Bill( MAWB) and Sub Bill House Air Way Bill (HAWB)

Air Way Bill

Air Waybill simply AWB, is a receipt, Issued by the Air carrier(airline) or its agent. It was issued after receiving the cargo and air transportation requirements from the shipper.

Air Way Bill issuance methods

The way of issuing air waybill can be roughly divided into two ways: one is to issue a direct order (direct AWB) and another issue a separate order (divided into main order MAWB + separate order HAWB).

What is Master Air Way Bill?

A Master Air Way Bill is a document that is used in the transportation of goods by air. It serves as a shipper’s receipt and a way to track the cargo while in transit.

MAWB is usually issued and signed by the air cargo carrier or its agent. On the MAWB, the shipper is the directly real shipper, and the consignee is the real receiver of the goods.

When goods arrive destination airport, the Carrier will help the shipper specify an agent to handle the shipments.

The Consignee for MAWB can be the receiver specified by the customer when booking the shipment. It can be a Company or a freight forwarder.

On the MAWB, there will have detailed information like the LOGO of the airline or carrier and the Bill of lading number. This bill of lading number is used for trucking the shipment status. You can truck on the airline website directly by inputting this number.

What is House Air Way Bill?

House airway bill, HAWB, is also a document used in the transportation of goods by airplane. HAWB is issued and signed by a freight forwarder. If the Receiver is without the right to import and without the ability to do the import customs clearance. Then issuing HAWB will be a much more helpful method.

Why add M or H before AWB? What does it mean?

1, M stands for Master, and MAWB is the acronym for Master Airway Bill.

MAWB means Master Airway Bill, abbreviated as Master Bill. MAWB is issued by the airline.

2, H stands for House, and HAWB is the acronym for House Airway Bill.

HAWB means House Airway Bill, abbreviated as sub bill. Generally, the freight forwarder issues the house airway bill (HAWB).

Function and meaning of MAWB in shipping

When issuing MAWB, there is no sub bill, only issued the main bill.

• MAWB, the airline, will help the consignee specify an agent, unknown by which company the consignee is not.
• MAWB, the consignor shipper and consignee on the waybill, is the actual shipper and the consignee (the final receiver).
• MAWB is not good for the consignor to control the goods after the goods are sent out because the air waybill is not proof of title; the airline can not deduct the goods because the consignee can not provide a waybill. But the airline releases the goods by the NOTICE of Arrival.
• While if you are the final receiver for the shipment, then Issuing a MAWB is a good solution and protects you more than the shipper.
• If you find errors in the MAWB or to facilitate customs clearance and want to change some of the content, MAWB is unacceptable and impossible to change; the airline does not allow it to change. Although the consignee and other information can generally be changed, if the flight has taken off and you want to change information on the MAWB, you must send it by CCA, and the airline will charge the corresponding change fee.
• The freight on the Master air waybill can only show prepaid PP and can not show to pay CC. Because air carriers issue only a MAWB for one shipment, the airline issues the waybill, the waybill shows the relationship between the freight forwarder and the airline, and the airline needs to charge the freight forwarders before the goods arrive at the destination port.

In a word, The role of the master air waybill is to inform the airline of the relevant cargo data, the number of pieces of cargo, weight, and volume. And information about the consignee and consignor and the destination to be transported to;

in most cases, the master air waybill shipper is the freight forwarding company of the export country, and the consignee is the destination freight forwarding company. We call it an agency as well.

The agency’s responsibility is to help the shipping forwarder notify the final consignee, arrange customs clearance of the goods and charge a certain fee.

The Function and meaning of HAWB

• You know, on the MAWB, Shipper is the freight forwarder at the original location, and the consignee is the freight forwarder at the destination location.

• After the Goods arrive at the port, the destination agent will pick up the goods from the airline with the master bill (MAWB) (because the master bill is issued by the airline, the airline can only use the master bill to pick up the goods).  you can (i.e., the final actual consignee) pick up the goods from the destination agent based on the HAWB.

• The Consignor has the right to control when to release the goods to the final actual shipment receiver by a HAWB. Of course, there is a prerequisite here: the destination agent should be reliable – some agents may not be dedicated. because Some agents are not necessarily reliable

• When issuing HAWB, there must be a destination agent; the freight charge on the HAWB can be prepaid PP and paid CC.

The role of the HAWB is to let the shipper know what airline the cargo is arranged for and the number of flights booked. And to inform the freight forwarder of the weight and volume data received by the cargo so as to charge the shipper the relevant freight.

When should Issue a House Air waybill (HAWB) 

1. If you can’t do the customs clean, you need to hire a customs broker or freight forwarder to help you handle the customs clean. Then HAWB is a better choice than MAWB.

2. When you cooperate with a freight forwarder but not with the Airline directly, the HAWB is necessary. It will be better for your freight forwarder to pick up goods and handle shipments to you.

Thank you for reading, and if any other questions about the ship from China to Oversea, you are welcome to contact us directly.