A Day in the Life: Airfreight Estimator
A Day in the Life of Tove Magnussen, Airfreight Estimator at SACO Shipping South Africa
The alarm goes off early because the global logistics world never sleeps.
I settle into my desk, and while sipping my coffee, I quickly check overnight emails from those agents in different time zones that I couldn’t send out the day before.
I open “My Register” list and Webcargo and start reviewing if I have any new pending quote requests.
I have a set of rules for myself that I follow (our KPI’s), which keep a smile on our clients’ faces: never take longer than 15 minutes to answer an email, never take longer than 30 minutes to send through the estimate, and most importantly, never allow the client to send a second or, heaven forbid, third request.
I try to be as precision-driven as possible: calculating costs for airfreight shipments by factoring in weight, dimensions, fuel surcharges, and sometimes even last-minute airline capacity changes. It’s a balancing act between speed and accuracy because clients expect quotes to be fast, reliable and, most importantly, cost-effective.
My mornings and middays are normally the busiest. However, with the team I have, the day goes by like a breeze. With their support and enthusiasm, I look forward to coming to work.
Our team has a great relationship with the airlines’ overseas agents and third parties, which helps us get fast and reasonable rates for our clients.
Lunch? Usually at my desk. I scroll through rate updates while eating a sandwich. It’s not glamorous, but it’s necessary. Airfreight is unpredictable and staying ahead means being informed.
Just when I think I can breathe, an urgent request will come in…
“Perishable goods to London, temperature-controlled“.
I drop everything, crunch the numbers, and send the quote in minutes. My adrenaline spikes, but honestly, I live for this!
The day winds down. I glance at tomorrow’s workload: more quotes, more challenges, more chances to make someone’s day easier. I close my laptop, feeling tired but proud. This job isn’t easy, but it matters. Every shipment I estimate is a story — a business saved, a deadline met, a promise kept.
Typical responsibilities of an Airfreight Estimator
Rate Calculation and Quoting
An airfreight estimator requests rates from international and local agents, airlines, and service providers. Additionally, they compile and provide comprehensive freight quotes to clients, considering the relevant Incoterms for imports, exports, and cross-trade shipments.
Cost Analysis
All necessary charges for a shipment are determined, including air carrier rates, security fees, terminal handling, fuel surcharges, storage, and warehousing. They also calculate the chargeable weight of cargo to determine accurate freight costs.
Document Management
They prepare all required shipping and customs documentation, ensuring accuracy and compliance with all standards and regulations.
Customer Communication
An airfreight estimator handles all customer queries regarding estimates and shipment statuses and resolves any issues that may arise during the process.
Logistics and Forwarding Coordination
Collaboration with airlines, local service providers, and overseas agents to book cargo space, optimise routes, and coordinate the collection, consolidation, and delivery of goods.
Market Awareness
Staying informed about industry trends, regulations, and market rates to provide competitive pricing and identify opportunities for improvement.
An airfreight estimator is a crucial link between the client and the logistics network. They ensure that cargo is priced correctly, moved efficiently, and complies with all necessary regulations.
