Air cargo treats a cold container as packaging, not as a cooling device. At acceptance nobody asks how many hours the container holds; the checks are whether the cold source inside is a dangerous good, whether the package leaks and whether the paperwork is complete. Dry ice creates the most paperwork; eutectic plates need no extra classification as long as their filling is not a dangerous good.
The person accepting a dry-ice package at the terminal works through these points from IATA's 2026 acceptance checklist:
- The air waybill (AWB) shows UN1845, "Dry ice" or "Carbon dioxide, solid", and the net kilograms of dry ice.
- The package is marked with UN1845, the name of the dry ice, its net weight and the shipper's and consignee's addresses, and carries a Class 9 label.
- Dry ice does not exceed 200 kg per package.
- The package is vented so gas can escape, is undamaged and does not leak.
- The airline's own variations are met; an airline may lower the dry-ice limit, so get its rule in writing before booking.
Weight is a direct cost in the air. The airline compares actual weight with volumetric weight and bills the larger; volumetric weight is the volume in cm³ divided by 6000. A 60 x 40 x 40 cm container works out at 16 kg, so wall thickness adds both weight and volume and is weighed differently than for road.
Plan against door-to-door time, not flight time. Drop-off at the terminal, acceptance, a possible transfer or weekend, and collection by the recipient all add to the flight; if the freight lands at night and the recipient comes in the morning, the container has to cover that gap too. Test it on the same route with a logger beside the product.
