Qantas Freight regularly carries a variety of general cargo products including computer equipment, printed matter, machinery and electrical equipment, to and from world markets.
Qantas provides special handling for perishable cargo such as fresh meat, seafood, fruit and vegetables, flowers and medicines thereby meeting the needs of Australian producers who service the growth markets of Asia, the US and Europe.
At its terminals, Qantas Freight has made significant investments in freezer and coolroom facilities, to ensure perishable consignments are maintained in optimum conditions.
For information on the regulations of the packaging of seafood for air transport, click here.
Qantas Freight has many years experience flying live animals, including commercial livestock, prime breeding stock, valuable zoological species and domestic pets, all over the world. All animals travel in the comfort of a fully pressurised and air conditioned freight compartment in the aircraft.
Live animal cargo is attended to by staff with specialised training in this field. Staff can advise customers on the regulations and requirements relevant to the animal and the country of destination and those through which the animal will pass en route.
For all international live animal enquiries, please click here.
For all domestic live animal enquiries within Australia, please contact Australian Air Express.
Dangerous goods are articles and substances which are capable of posing a significant risk to safety when transported by air if not correctly packed, marked and documented.
Dangerous goods are classified according to the danger to which they give rise:
| Class | Description |
| 1 | Explosives eg. commercial explosives, fireworks, ammunition and flares. |
| 2 | Gases eg. compressed and liquefied gases and aerosols. |
| 3 | Flammable Liquids eg. lighter fluid, matches, paint thinner, fire lighters and alcohol. |
| 4 | Flammable Solids eg. adhesives, articles containing celluloid, oily rags and petrol. |
| 5 | Oxidising Substances and Organic Peroxides eg. bleaches, acids and pool chemicals, glass fibre repair kits, hair and textile dyes, disinfectants and adhesives. |
| 6 | Toxic and Infectious Substances eg. viable micro-organisms and pathological samples. |
| 7 | Radioactive Materials eg. instruments and medical or research materials containing radioactive sources. |
| 8 | Corrosive Materials eg. acids, alkalis, wet-cell batteries, caustic soda and mercury. |
| 9 | Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods eg. magnetised materials, dry ice, machines equipped with fuel tanks, polymerizable materials, noxious or irritating substances, articles liable to damage aircraft structures and articles possessing other inherent characteristics which make them unsuitable for air carriage unless properly packed. |
Carriage of dangerous goods by air is governed by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
- Dangerous goods can only be accepted in accordance with IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, copies of which are available at your local Qantas Freight office.
- The outer packaging must show the full shipping name of the contents.
- The shipper is legally responsible for the declaration, classification, packing, marking, labelling and documentation of all dangerous goods consignments. Strict and severe penalties apply to any person or company who ignores the regulations by misdeclaration of contents, incorrect packaging, inaccurate declarations, etc.
- If a consolidated consignment or mixed consignment includes dangerous goods, such articles must be tendered separately, and must be clearly indicated as dangerous goods in the Nature and Quantity of goods (including dimensions or volume) box on the AWB. They must also be clearly indicated as dangerous goods on the AWB Extension List (when an Extension List is used).
For further information, including dangerous goods reservations, please call 1300 368 747 within Australia, or your local Qantas Freight sales office. Alternatively, to send an enquiry please click here.
The Qantas Unaccompanied Baggage service is available for personal baggage only. Unaccompanied baggage should never contain dangerous goods. For further information, click here.
For further information regarding dangerous goods for passengers and crew, click here.
Failure to declare dangerous goods or comply with Government Safety Regulations is a serious offence.
Delicate goods such as antiques, glassware and optical and medical instruments are treated with the greatest of care. High value cargo such as gold bullion, precious metals and works of art are held in special vaults to ensure maximum security.
As a service to passengers, Qantas Freight offers an unaccompanied baggage service on most routes. Personal effects can be sent ahead, on a 'space available' basis, to the destination airport.