ACE Air
Is the importing air carrier required to submit the air waybill record as a master express consignment air waybill (standard message identifier FXI/FXC) when the cargo will be transferred to an ECCF or hub?
No. The importing carrier may transmit the master air waybill record with the FRI/FRC standard message identifier. The express consignment carrier/hub may then update the master air waybill record with a standard message identifier of FXC to change ...
In this case, how should the carrier complete the AGT and TRN line of the Air AMS transmission?
The carrier should input the FIRMS code of the unique express consignment carrier in both the AGT and TRN line of its master air waybill record.
Has CBP approved multiple parties that constitute a single express consignment carrier facility (ECCF) to participate in Air AMS?
Yes. CBP may approve each member of an ECCF to participate in Air AMS as its own ECCF.
Sometimes, the physical air waybill record may list a shipper or consignee that is different from the party noted above. For example, a bank or other similar party may be listed as the consignee on the air waybill. In this case, what should the Air AMS participant include in its transmission?
CBP recognizes that for various commercial and financial reasons a physical air waybill document may list a shipper or consignee other than the party required to be reported pursuant to this regulation. In this case of consignee data, CBP still ...
May a Post Office Box be considered an acceptable address for shipper or consignee information?
A Post Office Box may appear as a shipper or consignee address only in those limited cases where it is the only identifiable physical location where the cargo originated or will be delivered. In certain foreign countries, Post Office Boxes may be the ...
What should the Air AMS record reflect as the shipper for each type of air waybill record?
As noted in the Final Rule, for consolidated shipments, the identity of the consolidator, express consignment or other carrier, is sufficient for the master air waybill record; for non-consolidated shipments, the name of the foreign vendor, supplier, ...
What should the Air AMS record reflect as the consignee for each type of air waybill record?
As noted in the Final Rule, for consolidated shipments, the identity of the container station, express consignment or other carrier is sufficient for the master air waybill record. For non-consolidated shipments (simple and house air waybill ...
How do code-share participants transmit information to CBP to identify the actual carrier upon which the cargo will arrive? How will CBP enforce compliance with this requirement?
The CAMIR-Air details the technical requirements that code-share participants must specify in the Flight Departure Message (FDM) to indicate the actual carrier upon which the cargo is transported. For further information regarding the FDM, please ...
If two or more carriers participate in a code-share arrangement for flights that merely transit locations in the United States may each of them transmit Air AMS information?
The DOT does not approve code-share arrangements for two or more carriers operating code-share flights that merely transit locations in the United States. For example, an air carrier may operate a flight that travels from Tokyo, Japan, stops in ...
If two or more carriers are participating in a code-share arrangement, how may each of them participate in Air AMS for a code-share flight?
Each air carrier participating in an officially approved DOT code-share arrangement may assume responsibility for submitting information related to its own cargo as an "incoming air carrier" under 19 CFR 122.48a. When an aircraft submits its advance ...
Are shipments of letters and documents transported by air otherwise than through the USPS subject to the advance cargo information requirements? Is there a weight limit for a shipment to qualify as a letter or document?
The Federal Register Notice published on December 5, 2003, also noted that letters and documents, including the material described in General Headnote 19(c) of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States would be the subject of a separate ...
Is the carrier or any other party required to provide advance electronic cargo information for shipments of international mail through the United States Postal Service (USPS)?
The Federal Register Notice published on December 5, 2003, noted that CBP will consult with the Postmaster General to determine what type of electronic cargo information requirements should be imposed upon carriers of mail shipments through the USPS. ...
When cargo is imported by the carrier for its own use (company material), does such cargo need to be reported in Air AMS?
Yes. Cargo imported by the carrier for its own use is subject to the advance electronic presentation of cargo information rule.
If an air carrier does not qualify to have an assigned ICAO code, how will it participate in Air AMS?
If an air carrier does not qualify for an ICAO code, the CBP client representative will assign a 3-character code to the carrier for the purpose of participating in Air AMS.
How does an airline obtain a carrier/International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) code?
ICAO three-letter identifier codes are registered by the civil aviation authority of the carrier’s country of jurisdiction. Each country may establish its own criteria for the assignment of such codes. In the United States, requests for the ...
Since freight status notification (FSN) messages are transmitted to the Air AMS participant in custody of the cargo, how does an Air AMS participant that transmitted the house air waybill record but does not have custody of the cargo know what information was sent to the cargo custodian?
An Air AMS participant that transmits house air waybill information but will not assume physical custody of the cargo may elect to receive electronic Freight Status Information (FSI) messages. The Freight Status Information message contains the same ...
For hanging garments not otherwise packaged that are transported in a crate, igloo or ULD, should the total number of garments be reported as the quantity?
In the case hanging garments transported in such containers, the smallest external packing unit would be the container. For example, one container transporting 300 hanging ladies’ leather jackets would be reported with a quantity of “1”. The cargo ...
If the carrier incorrectly reports the master air waybill record as "1" and the carrier or other Air AMS participant attempts to transmit the house air waybill records with a sum total quantity of 100, what will happen?
The Air AMS edit that prevents the sum total of the house air waybill quantities from exceeding the associated master air waybill quantity has been removed. However, all Air AMS participants are reminded that the regulations require the reporting of ...
What would be the required quantity to report for other types of equipment into which cargo may be loaded?
The following chart may be used as a guideline to determine what quantity should be reported for cargo loaded in various types of equipment. Although letters, documents and mail are not subject this rule (see Question #35), when a carrier uses Air ...
When reporting the quantity of pieces for cargo loaded on a pallet, unit load device (ULD) or other similar equipment, what quantity should be reported in Air AMS?
The Final Rule requires that the Air AMS participant report the quantity based on the smallest external packing unit. For example, one pallet loaded with 100 boxes would be reported with a quantity of 100.
Once an air waybill number has been used by the issuer for an air waybill, when may the number be used for another shipment?
Once an air waybill number has been used to report a cargo shipment in Air AMS, the same air waybill number may not be used for a period of one year after issuance. Air AMS is programmed to archive an air waybill record one year after its use. Air ...
Does the manual input of information into Air AMS need to occur in the United States or may such data input occur at a foreign location?
CBP does not require that data entry occur in the United States. An Air AMS participant must be able to communicate with Air AMS at all locations where it participates in Air AMS.
If an emergency or forced landing is made by an aircraft when necessary for safety/the preservation of life/health and such aircraft is coming into the United States from a foreign location/travelling from airport to airport in the United States under a permit to proceed, what must the carrier do?
The aircraft commander, owner or other person in charge must notify CBP at the intended place of first landing, nearest international airport or nearest port of entry as soon as possible and make a full report of the flight and the emergency or ...
For what purpose will the Agent (AGT) field be used by the importing air carrier?
Although the Agent (AGT) field will no longer be used by the inbound air carrier to nominate an alternate transmitting party, the inbound air carrier will be required by regulation (part 122.48a(d)(1)(xv)) to use the AGT field for the purpose of ...
Will the importing air carrier need to nominate another party before that party may input house air waybill records?
With the implementation of changes to Air AMS, the inbound air carrier no longer needs to nominate another party for that party to file house air waybill information.
The Final Rule requires that CBP receive the electronic information regarding the cargo prior to the arrival of the aircraft, but Air AMS permits the use of the Freight Report Inbound (FRI) message until four (4) hours after the arrival time of the aircraft. Does this represent an inconsistency?
No. Air AMS will accept air waybill records reported with the Freight Report Inbound (FRI) standard message identifier until four hours after the recorded arrival time of the aircraft in Air AMS. After such time, any additional air waybill records ...
Can Air AMS participants change previously transmitted air waybill information in Air AMS?
Yes. Air AMS participants are required to report changes to air waybill information through Air AMS. Changes to air waybill information may be reported to Air AMS through the Freight Report Change (FRC) message. Air waybill records may also be ...
If the advance electronic cargo information is presented through Air AMS must the air carrier present all other documentation upon arrival?
Upon arrival, all other documentation including the General Declaration (CBP Form 7507) must be presented to CBP at the place of entry at once.
Must a paper copy of the air cargo manifest (CBP Form 7509) and the air waybill documents be presented to CBP in paper format upon arrival of the aircraft?
The paper copy of the air cargo manifest (CBP Form 7509) and the air waybill documents no longer need to filed or retained aboard the aircraft except to report that information which cannot be reported through Air AMS. This includes unaccompanied ...
How does an Air AMS participant know if CBP is experiencing an unscheduled downtime?
Unscheduled or unanticipated Air AMS downtime is rare and is generally for a short duration. However, in the event that the CBP system is unexpectedly down, CBP will grant “credit” to the Air AMS participant for the amount of time the system is down. ...
When Air AMS has scheduled downtime, must an Air AMS participant transmit information sufficiently in advance so that the information may be received by CBP in the time frames required by regulation?
CBP informs Air AMS participants of the scheduled Air AMS downtime so that such participants may transmit the information sufficiently in advance so that CBP may receive the information in the required time frames. CBP will not make allowances for ...
If an Air AMS participant transmits information during the scheduled downtime period, when will CBP receive the information?
The information sent by Air AMS participants is stored in a queue and is received and processed when the system maintenance and updates have been completed.
When is Air AMS scheduled for downtime maintenance?
CBP is required to initiate scheduled downtime for system maintenance and updates. The regularly scheduled downtime includes: Saturday @ 0500 - 0700 EST Saturday @ 2300 – Sunday @ 0300 EST Sunday @ 2200 – Monday @ 0200 EST Wednesday @ 0500 – 0700 EST
When Air AMS participants have not received expected freight status notification messages, what should they do?
If an Air AMS participant has not received an expected freight status notification that results from the filing of any entry, the Air AMS participant and the entry filer should compare information to determine if the air waybill record and flight ...
If a flight does not have any cargo aboard, is the carrier required to transmit a message through Air AMS?
No. If there is no cargo aboard a flight, there is no need to transmit Air AMS information.
If cargo is reported as FROB, does Air AMS respond with an electronic in-bond authorization message (1D)?
No. FROB cargo does not meet the definition of cargo requiring in-bond authorization. No electronic in-bond authorization message is sent.
Is Air AMS filing required for cargo that arrives aboard an aircraft, is not unladen and subsequently exported from the United States aboard the same aircraft?
Yes. Such cargo meets the definition of Foreign Cargo Remaining On Board (FROB). Air AMS will include a new indicator in the transfer line for purposes of identifying such cargo as FROB. (TRN/R) This indicator will be used for simple and master air ...
If an air waybill has an outstanding hold may the cargo be moved in-bond or transferred to another facility within the port?
No. The cargo must be held by the Air AMS participant until the hold has been removed by CBP.
When an eligible Air AMS participant files house air waybill information independently of the incoming air carrier, does such party need to supply the flight transportation information including the scheduled date of arrival, carrier code, flight number and airport routing information?
Such house air waybill records provided independently of the carrier need not contain flight transportation information. When the master air waybill record is provided by the incoming air carrier, the transportation information is applied to all of ...
Can a container freight station, ABI filer or ECCF transmit house air waybill information to Air AMS even if the carrier has not yet provided confirmed flight information?
Changes to Air AMS now allow those parties that file house air waybill level information to do so prior to the transmission of the master air waybill by the importing carrier. In addition, the incoming air carrier no longer needs to “nominate” such ...
Next page