What should I do if the international air cargo is lost?
Cargo loss happens every day, not because airlines and other people handling cargo are incompetent, but because it's a complex business and people are human, and humans make mistakes.
Forwarders may not always be able to control when accidents happen or prevent them from happening, but they can control how accidents and problems are handled when they do occur. A lot can happen to your goods while in transit: damaged, stolen, lost, etc.
Here is a brief guide on what to do if your shipment is lost:
1) Contact your forwarder company first. Your cargo may not be lost, but the cargo is delayed for a long time, the airline company or the cargo terminal system is wrong, or the destination airport has not been dismantled instead of being completely lost.
2) Organize all the detailed information about your goods. You provide the freight forwarder with a detailed description of the transported goods, including size, color, label information, pictures, shipping marks, etc., so that the goods can be retrieved faster.
3) If you feel that the probability of recovering the goods is low, you must collect all necessary documents, including bills of lading, packing lists, invoices, letters of claim, and proof of loss at the destination cargo station (only the most important, at the destination This document must be obtained when picking up the goods at the airport, otherwise the subsequent claim will be fruitless) and the insurance policy, and a claim application is filed with the freight forwarder. After the claim is made, the carrier can accept, settle or reject the claim. In the case of a rejected claim, the carrier will provide you with the reason for the rejection and all relevant information.
4) It is wise to know that if the goods are of high value, you must buy freight insurance in advance to reduce the full risk of loss of goods! Make sure that the product/package is intact and undamaged and the label is attached before the goods leave the warehouse, and take a video photo before leaving the warehouse.