Using China-Saudi Sea-Air Solution to Regain One Week and Avoid Penalty Fees
Omar's batch of mechanical parts was originally scheduled for air freight to the Middle East. However, the factory delayed delivery by over 10 days, making the timeline very tight from the start. Then, the freight forwarder notified us that the previously booked flight had changed and could not depart as scheduled.
What clients want most for air freight to the Middle East is speed. But the vast majority of small forwarders lack the capability to sign long-term block space agreements (BSA) with airlines and don't have their own fixed air cargo pallet positions. They mainly rely on posting videos and ads everywhere. Only after securing an order do they go to the market to find pallet space released by primary consolidators. This kind of space is unstable. If the airline adjusts aircraft types or faces full loads, they will prioritize cutting these weaker cooperative positions first.
Airlines have a "priority list" when cutting cargo. The most stable, never-cut cargo is from those who buy out pallet space—the primary major consolidators. Next is high-value cargo, like chips, antiques, etc. The most easily cut is cargo from these small, scattered shippers. We belong to the first category. We have signed annual thousand-pallet agreements with airlines, buying out 20 fixed pallet positions weekly from two major airlines. Our cooperative relationship is strong; even if others' cargo can't move, ours remains unaffected.
On the other hand, many of these pallet positions held by small forwarders are subcontracted through multiple layers. The communication chain is long, and information isn't transparent. Once problems arise with the flight, coordination efficiency is very low, and there can be situations where different parties shift blame, with no one wanting to take responsibility.
Another point many clients easily overlook: to reduce costs, small forwarders might secretly change promised direct flights to transshipment flights. For example, a flight for air freight to the Middle East might route through Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, etc., adding an extra day. A typical case is Singapore Changi Airport, with saturation over 80%, sometimes causing delays of 40+ hours. Some might even switch from air to fast sea freight mid-process. When questioned, the forwarder might make up excuses like cargo inspection, incomplete documents, etc., to brush you off.
We are different. Having focused on air freight to the Middle East for many years, we are now a primary consolidator for this route, operating two dedicated lines: direct and transshipment. Because we have our own daily pallet positions, we control our own cargo space. We decide the priority of shipments. Urgent cargo goes first, and can reach the client in as little as 24 hours.
Even if there's no cargo to ship, these pallet positions must be paid for. Buying out means you pay the fee regardless of whether you ship, which truly tests a company's strength. We have sufficient order volume to match these positions. On the air freight to Middle East route, there are many forwarders with strong capabilities like us. Why don't they buy out so much space? The reason is they lack sufficient cargo volume.
Information asymmetry always exists. There are 60,000 freight forwarders in Shenzhen, with thousands handling air freight to the Middle East. Most secure orders first, then look for pallet space in the market. Even those capable of leasing space might only get 2 or 3 pallets per week—that's what's called a "primary consolidator" for air freight to the Middle East. So, when choosing a forwarder for air freight to the Middle East, you must be extra careful. Don't go with small forwarders who can't guarantee transit times.
DL Logistics, one of the top five for air freight to the Middle East, buys out 20 weekly pallet positions from two major airlines. We have priority clearance channels at UAE airports, can jump the queue for warehouse pickup, have local logistics staff answering calls at 2 AM, and offer same-day delivery for morning or midday dispatches. Truly deserving of being called one of the top five.
DL Middle East Air Freight. Everyone who's used it says it's smooth.