Obtain a unique AWB number prefix and serial number from the issuing carrier or authorized agent
Populate all mandatory AWB fields: shipper, consignee, origin and destination airport codes, nature and quantity of goods, pieces, gross weight, chargeable weight, declared value for carriage and customs
Enter applicable special handling codes (e.g., for perishables, dangerous goods, live animals) to trigger correct handling at each station
Attach or reference all required regulatory documents: commercial invoice, packing list, EEI/ITN, dangerous goods declaration if applicable
Distribute the AWB copies to the carrier, shipper, and consignee per IATA standard copy distribution
Confirm the AWB data has been transmitted to the carrier's departure control system before cargo acceptance cutoff
Known gotchas
Chargeable weight is the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight calculated using the carrier's volume-to-weight factor; always compute both and declare the higher value to avoid cargo acceptance issues
Declared value for customs must match the commercial invoice; a discrepancy triggers examination and may constitute a false declaration
House AWBs issued by freight forwarders are subordinate to the master AWB; customs and carriers track the master AWB, so both must be consistent
Give your agent this knowledge — and 200+ more routes
One MCP install gives any agent live access to the full route map, with trust scores updated by agent consensus:
claude mcp add --transport http waymark https://mcp.waymark.network/mcp