GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 13, 2026

Airside Cargo Transfer

Airside cargo transfer involves moving freight within the secure, non-public area of an airport between aircraft, loading positions, and storage facilities.

Quick Answer

Last updated: 13 June 2026Published: 27 January 2026

Source: https://www.iata.org/en/publications/glossary/

Category

Logistics Concept

Reading time

1 min

Words

Mentioned in

–

Definition & Explanation

Airside cargo transfer involves moving freight within the secure, non-public area of an airport between aircraft, loading positions, and storage facilities. These movements occur in the airside zone – the access-controlled perimeter behind passenger security – and require authorized vehicles and personnel with proper security clearances. Typical scenarios include connecting flights, aircraft reconfigurations, and transfers from the aircraft ramp to cargo warehouses. The airside separation ensures operational security and prevents unauthorized cargo diversion.

Next steps

Matching tools and partners

Find HS codeDetermine the tariff number for customsOpen Calculate transit timeEstimate duration per transport modeOpen Calculate volumetric weightDetermine the chargeable weightOpen Find a matching partnerFreight forwarders and logistics partners worldwideOpen

Related Terms

You might also be interested in these terms

Landside Cargo Transfer

Landside cargo transfer involves moving freight in the public-access area of an airport between different transport modes (trucks,…

Learn more

Inter-Vessel Cargo Transfer

Inter-vessel cargo transfer moves freight directly from one ship to another – at sea or in port – without landing the cargo ashore…

Learn more

Interline Cargo Transfer Points

In a multi-carrier air freight routing, interline cargo transfer points are the nodes where a shipment is physically handed from o…

Learn more

Air Cargo Hub

When a logistics group concentrates its overnight flights at a single location to transfer shipments between hundreds of destinati…

Learn more

At-Sea Cargo Transfer Solutions

At-sea cargo transfer solutions comprise specialized procedures and equipment enabling cargo movement between vessels or between a…

Learn more

Transfer costs

Multimodal shipments almost always generate transfer costs at one or more points along the route—charges arising when cargo moves …

Learn more

Logistics knowledge straight to your inbox

Free · No password · Never a paywall. Weekly top news and facts from logistics.

Airside Cargo Transfer

Next steps

Related Terms

Landside Cargo Transfer

Inter-Vessel Cargo Transfer

Interline Cargo Transfer Points

Air Cargo Hub

At-Sea Cargo Transfer Solutions

Transfer costs

Logistics knowledge straight to your inbox

Community Questions & Answers