How Do You Label and Mark Cargo for Export by Air?

Posted by: Sandra Wilbrandt
17 Sep. 2026

To label and mark cargo for air export, every shipment must carry a completed air waybill label on the outer packaging, showing the shipper’s name and address, the consignee’s details, the destination airport, the gross weight, and the shipment content description. These details must be legible, securely attached, and match the accompanying documentation exactly. The sections below cover the specific standards, common mistakes, and destination-specific considerations that every B2B exporter shipping by air needs to understand.

What information must appear on an air freight label?

An air freight label must include the shipper’s full name and address, the consignee’s full name and address, the destination airport code, the number of pieces, the gross weight, the dimensions of each piece, and a clear description of the goods. The air waybill number must also appear on the label and match the master or house air waybill exactly.

Beyond these core fields, the label should also state the country of origin of the goods and, where applicable, the declared value for customs. For commercial shipments, the consignee’s customs identification number is required in most destination countries. Labels must be printed clearly or machine-generated and affixed to a flat, visible surface of each piece. Handwritten labels are technically permissible under IATA rules but are strongly discouraged because they increase the risk of being misread at handling facilities.

Each individual piece in a multi-piece shipment needs its own label. A single label on the first box is not sufficient. If a piece has more than one surface large enough to carry a label, it should be placed on the largest flat face.

What is the difference between labeling and marking in air cargo?

In air cargo, labeling refers to the affixed documents and printed identifiers that link a shipment to its air waybill and routing instructions. Marking refers to information written, stenciled, or printed directly onto the packaging itself, such as handling instructions, orientation arrows, or fragile indicators. Both are required, but they serve different functions.

Labels are administrative: they tell the airline, ground handler, and customs authority who is sending what, to whom, and where. Markings are operational: they tell warehouse staff and loaders how to handle the cargo physically. Common markings include “This Way Up,” “Handle with Care,” “Keep Dry,” and stacking limitation symbols. These markings follow ISO and IATA standards for pictograms and must be placed on at least two opposing sides of the package.

A shipment can have a perfectly complete label and still be rejected or damaged if the marking is absent or incorrect. Exporters should treat labeling and marking as two separate checklists, not one.

Which IATA labeling standards apply to air export shipments?

The primary IATA standard governing air cargo labeling is the IATA Cargo Handling Manual (ICHM), supplemented by the IATA Air Waybill Resolution 600 series. These standards define the minimum required fields on air waybill labels, the acceptable formats, barcode specifications, and the placement rules for all label types used in international air freight.

For general cargo, IATA Resolution 606 sets out the format and content of the air waybill label. Barcodes must comply with IATA license plate standards to enable automated handling at major hub airports. The label dimensions, font sizes, and field positions are standardized so that optical scanners at facilities in Frankfurt, Dubai, Nairobi, and Lagos can all read the same label without manual intervention.

Airlines and ground handlers may impose additional carrier-specific requirements on top of IATA minimums. It is always worth confirming label specifications directly with the operating carrier before tendering a shipment, particularly for oversized or special cargo.

How must dangerous goods be labeled for air transport?

Dangerous goods shipped by air must be labeled according to the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR), which are updated annually. Each package must carry the appropriate hazard class label, a “Cargo Aircraft Only” label where required, and a shipper’s declaration. The labels must be diamond-shaped, in the correct color for the hazard class, and sized to at least 100mm x 100mm.

The hazard class label identifies the primary risk category of the goods, such as flammable liquids (Class 3), corrosives (Class 8), or lithium batteries (Class 9). If the goods present a subsidiary hazard, a second hazard label must also be applied. The UN number and proper shipping name must appear on the package alongside the labels, either printed directly or on a separate mark.

Note that Class 7 radioactive materials are excluded from standard commercial air freight and are not covered here. For all other dangerous goods classes, the DGR specifies exact label placement, compatibility rules between classes, and the documentation that must accompany the shipment. Shippers must be trained and certified under IATA DGR standards before tendering dangerous goods to any airline.

What are the most common air cargo labeling mistakes that delay shipments?

The most common air cargo labeling mistakes that cause delays are mismatched information between the label and the air waybill, labels placed on non-flat or curved surfaces where they partially detach, missing piece count labels on multi-piece shipments, and illegible or smeared print. Each of these errors can trigger a hold at the origin warehouse or destination customs facility.

Other frequent issues include:

Old labels not removed: Previous shipment labels left on reused packaging cause scanners to read the wrong air waybill number.
Incorrect airport codes: Using city abbreviations instead of IATA airport codes (for example, writing “Nairobi” instead of “NBO”) creates routing ambiguity.
Missing consignee customs number: Many African destination countries require the consignee’s tax or customs ID on the label. Omitting it leads to customs clearance delays.
Undeclared dangerous goods: Shipping lithium batteries or aerosols without the correct DGR labels exposes the shipper to cargo rejection and regulatory penalties.
Labels covered by strapping or shrink wrap: Labels must remain fully visible after all packaging materials are applied.

A pre-shipment label check against the air waybill takes minutes and prevents delays that can run to days, particularly on routes where onward connections to secondary African cities depend on tight transit windows.

Do labeling requirements differ for exports to Africa?

The core IATA labeling standards apply universally, but exports to African destinations carry additional country-specific requirements that go beyond what IATA mandates. These typically relate to customs documentation that must be referenced on or accompany the label, consignee identification numbers, and in some cases pre-shipment inspection certificates that must be cross-referenced with the shipment label.

For example, exports to Nigeria often require a Form M reference number linked to the consignee’s import documentation, and shipments to Kenya must align with the Kenya Revenue Authority’s import declaration requirements. Ghana and Tanzania each have their own customs authority requirements that affect what information the consignee’s details section of the air waybill label must contain.

DDP shipments, where the exporter takes responsibility for duties and delivery to the final destination, require particularly careful label preparation. The consignee information, declared values, and customs reference numbers must all be consistent across the label, the commercial invoice, and the packing list. Any discrepancy between these documents at the destination airport creates a customs query that holds the cargo.

Exporters unfamiliar with destination-country requirements for specific African markets should work with a freight forwarder that has direct operational experience in those countries, not just general air cargo knowledge. Requirements in Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, and Dar es Salaam are not identical, and treating them as interchangeable is one of the more costly assumptions in export logistics.

How EAF supports correct labeling and documentation for air exports to Africa

Correct labeling is one of the points in the export process where small errors have outsized consequences. We work with B2B exporters shipping from Europe to West and East Africa, and documentation accuracy is central to everything we do. Our services in this area include:

Preparing and verifying air waybill labels against commercial invoices and packing lists before cargo is tendered to the airline
Applying destination-country specific requirements for Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, and other African markets, including consignee customs references and pre-shipment documentation
Managing DDP shipments end to end, where we handle customs clearance, duty payment, and last-mile delivery so the consignee receives cargo without administrative burden
Advising on dangerous goods labeling requirements under IATA DGR for applicable cargo classes
Coordinating documentation across cross-trade shipments where the origin is outside Europe

If you are exporting goods by air to Africa and want to avoid labeling errors that delay customs clearance, get in touch with us directly. For an overview of the destinations and freight services we cover, including our DDP options for African markets, visit our services page.