An airway bill, also known as an air consignment note, is a legally binding transport document issued by a carrier or agent that provides details about the goods being shipped. It is a contract between the shipper and the carrier that defines the contents of the shipment, its origin, its destination, and other pertinent details. An airway bill serves as a receipt of goods by an airline (the carrier), as well as a contract of carriage between the shipper and the carrier. It is a non-negotiable document, meaning it is not a document of title to the goods. An airway bill has 11 numbers and comes with eight copies of varying colors. The airway bill serves many functions, including:

• Delivery Instructions: An airway bill acts as delivery instructions, a contract of carriage, and a cargo receipt for airfreight.

• Proof of Shipment: An airway bill can act as a document that can be proof that the shipment has been conducted.

• Legal Document: An airway bill can also be a legally binding document that provides details and descriptions of the goods and shipments. It can be used as a legal document and evidence in solving conflicts, claims, or disputes that are parcel or shipment related.

• Tracking: The most important information in an airway bill is its unique tracking number. Every piece of airway bill provides a short string of numbers that is unique only to that document. This enables a sender and receiver to track and identify which courier is handling the parcel shipped.

Before goods are shipped, an airway bill must be filled out. Once the airway bill is signed by the shipper and carrier involved, it becomes an enforceable contract. An electronic airway bill (e-air waybill or e-AWB) was introduced in 2010, and on January 1, 2019, it became the default contract of carriage for all air cargo shipments.