House Air Waybill (HAWB)

A House Air Waybill (HAWB) is a transport document issued by an air freight forwarder (consolidator) to certify the contract of carriage between the forwarder and the shipper, and serves as a receipt for the goods. It corresponds to the Master Air Waybill (MAWB), which is issued by the airline to the freight forwarder. Usage scenario: When a forwarder consolidates multiple shippers' cargo into one shipment and books space with the airline, the forwarder issues a separate HAWB to each shipper, while the airline issues only one MAWB to the forwarder. Points to note: The HAWB is not a document of title (non-negotiable); the consignee usually needs to present the HAWB and an arrival notice to take delivery. If a letter of credit requires an air waybill, it must specify whether it is a MAWB or HAWB; unless the L/C permits, banks generally do not accept a HAWB. Differences from MAWB: The MAWB is the airline's transport document, while the HAWB is the forwarder's transport document; on the MAWB, the shipper is the forwarder and the consignee is the forwarder's agent at destination, whereas on the HAWB, the shipper is the actual shipper and the consignee is the actual consignee. In addition, the HAWB number is usually different from the MAWB number, and it is important to verify whether the issuer of the HAWB is qualified.