Case 1
How to Avoid Looking Like a Newbie When Choosing a Freight Forwarder for Air Freight to Middle East
Do you know how to avoid looking like a total beginner when you talk to a freight forwarder for the first time? Don’t worry. I’ve prepared a few questions for you. Once you ask these, the forwarder will know you’re not easy to fool.
1. The forwarder will ask if your company has import and export rights.
If you do, you can ship normally.
If you don’t, no need to be nervous. You can use a qualified freight forwarder for air freight to Middle East or a foreign trade company as your agent.
Just make sure you know this in advance. Answer confidently, so they think you’re an expert.
2. Where your goods depart from, and which country and port they go to.
For example, if your goods are in Dongguan, you will ship from Guangzhou or Shenzhen.
Make sure you know:
- Is the destination UAE or Saudi Arabia?
- Do you want door-to-door or port-to-port service?
- If door-to-door, what is the exact address?
3. What kind of goods you are shipping, and if there are any special items.
For example:
- If there are wooden products, you need commodity inspection.
- If there are dangerous goods, you need two certificates and one report, plus other detailed documents.
Some goods cannot be consolidated or mixed. If the forwarder knows all this in advance, they can arrange reliable shipping channels for you.
When it comes to dangerous or sensitive goods for air freight to Middle East, be very careful.
Many small forwarders offer high prices to collect goods, then secretly mix them with general cargo, falsely declare the product name, or fake inspection reports to make more money.
So you must choose a reliable forwarder.
What kind of forwarder is reliable? Take our company DL as an example.
We are among the top 5 freight forwarders for air freight to Middle East.
Large forwarders like us operate legally and make profit from large-volume project cargo.
We will never take risks with illegal operations.
There are about 60,000 freight forwarders in Shenzhen, and over 1,000 focus on air freight to Middle East.
More than 95% are just trading companies with no real assets.
They only book space after getting orders, and disappear when problems happen.
Even the better ones only have 2 or 3 pallet spaces per week.
But DL has long-term contracts with 2 major airlines, securing 20 pallet spaces every week — 10 times more capacity.
We pay for these pallets whether we have cargo or not. That shows our real strength.
4. Details of your goods and packages.
- What goods?
- What type of boxes?
- How many pieces?
- What’s the weight?
- Does it contain batteries, magnets, liquids, etc.?
Volume and weight greatly affect the forwarder’s cost calculation.
So know your cargo dimensions in advance.
5. When you plan to ship, and how many days you need for transit time.
Some airlines have unstable schedules.
If you have strict delivery deadlines, you need more reliable airlines like EK.
Only when the forwarder knows your exact schedule can they arrange the right airline and pallet space for you.
After going through all these points, the forwarder will have full details of your shipment.
They will recognize you as a professional, not a newbie.
In most cases, they will be more likely to offer you a good price.{learn more}
Case 2
How Do Foreign Traders Find a Reliable Freight Forwarder for Air Freight to Dubai?
For foreign traders, finding a freight forwarder is no longer difficult. The real challenge is finding a reliable one. Cooperation with a freight forwarder usually starts with price, continues with professionalism, and ends with reliability. So how do you find a reliable freight forwarder?
1. Check the freight forwarder’s level
There are different levels of freight forwarders for air freight to Dubai on the market, generally divided into first-class, second-class, and third-class forwarders.
In most cases, first-class freight forwarders have better credibility and reasonable rates. That does not mean there are no reliable second or third-class forwarders, but first-class ones are generally better.
Both direct customers and second/third-class forwarders need to book space through first-class forwarders. So choosing a first-class forwarder is more convenient and efficient.
For example, DL Logistics is among the top five forwarders for air freight to Middle East. We are a direct carrier for air freight to Dubai, which is known as a first-class agent.
2. Learn about the forwarder’s service and reputation
To judge if a freight forwarder is reliable, always check reviews from its existing customers—that is its reputation.
See if they can respond and solve problems in time when cargo issues happen, and if their service attitude is friendly and responsible.
3. Focus on specialized route advantages
It is very important to ask about the forwarder’s main business. Every freight forwarder has its own strengths and core routes.
They will have a clear understanding of the whole process and local policies and rules, which makes them more reliable.
Take DL Logistics as an example: we have bought and fixed 20 board positions per week with 2 major airlines.
There are about 60,000 freight forwarders in Shenzhen. 90% are small forwarders who take orders first and then look for board positions on the market. Even better ones only get 2 to 3 board positions per week. Our capacity is 10 times that.
Buying fixed board positions means we have to pay even if we have no cargo. This requires real financial strength.
With scale effect comes a strong advantage. With 20 weekly board positions for our air freight to Dubai专线, we can also offer very competitive prices—the larger the shipment volume, the lower the price.
Airlines attach great importance to us. Even during peak seasons and warehouse congestion, we get priority on the earliest flights. We never miss the transit time promised to customers. This is something most forwarders cannot achieve.
4. Check the company’s strength
If possible, visit the freight forwarder’s office in person. You can check its scale, staffing, actual operation ability, and facilities to avoid being cheated by overstated promotions.
5. After-sales service
After-sales service is also very important besides core business.
A reliable freight forwarder controls the whole process from start to finish.
If any problem happens during transportation, a responsible forwarder will support you with good after-sales service. When your cargo is delayed or has issues, they will inform you immediately and provide solutions.【learn more】
Case 3
Mr. Lin needed to air freight a batch of high-precision CNC machines, automated production lines, and inspection instruments to the UAE for his factory expansion, with tight project deadlines. After reviewing our quotation, he expressed interest in visiting our office—though without setting a date.
One afternoon, he unexpectedly called from our building lobby. His unannounced visit was a deliberate move to assess our real operations.
Our company occupies the entire 8th floor of Tower B at Rongde International Plaza in Longgang District—a self-owned property, not leased. With nearly 100 employees, our scale impressed Mr. Lin. We operate two dedicated Middle East air routes: one direct from Guangzhou/Shenzhen to the UAE, and another via Beijing. This means we secure guaranteed pallet space on *every daily flight* to the UAE. Such dual-route capacity ensures unmatched timeliness and heavy cargo capability, far surpassing competitors.
Among 60,000 Shenzhen freight forwarders—over 1,000 specializing in Middle East air freight—few match our scale. But none combine this scale with *two exclusive routes*. Consequently, cargo destined for the Middle East often gets rerouted through multiple forwarders... only to end up with us eventually. We are the source.
Mr. Lin immediately arranged cargo drop-off. Seven days later, all equipment arrived at his construction site.
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