Perishable freight is where domestic air freight earns its reputation. A crate of live rock lobster from Western Australia, a box of cut flowers for Mother's Day or a shipment of vaccines for a regional clinic cannot wait four days on the road. But speed alone is not enough. Most perishable losses I have investigated were not caused by the flight itself. They happened on the tarmac, in a terminal over a weekend, or because the packaging could not hold temperature for as long as the journey really took.
This guide covers what food and pharmaceutical businesses need to get right. It is part of our guide to optimising your business supply chain using domestic air freight.
What counts as perishable freight
Airlines treat freight as perishable when its quality deteriorates over time or with exposure to heat or cold. In Australian domestic networks, the most common categories are:
- Seafood: chilled fish, prawns and oysters, frozen product and live crustaceans.
- Fresh produce: berries, cherries, stone fruit, herbs and specialty vegetables.
- Meat and dairy: premium cuts, specialty cheeses and chilled ready meals.
- Cut flowers and plants, with large seasonal peaks.
- Pharmaceuticals and clinical supplies: vaccines, biologics, blood products, pathology samples and clinical trial material.
Airlines use IATA special handling codes to flag these consignments, such as PER for perishables, PIL for pharmaceuticals, FRO for frozen goods and ICE for dry ice. Ask your carrier which codes and products it offers, because handling differs between a general perishable service and a validated pharmaceutical service.
Know your temperature range
Every decision about packaging and routing starts with the temperature range your product must stay within, and for how long.
| Range | Typical products | Common cooling method |
|---|---|---|
| Frozen (−18°C or colder) | Frozen seafood, meat, ice cream, some biological samples | Dry ice or frozen gel packs in insulated shippers |
| Chilled (0–4°C) | Fresh seafood, meat, dairy | Gel packs, slurry ice in sealed liners |
| Cool (2–8°C) | Vaccines, insulin, many biologics | Validated shippers with conditioned phase-change packs |
| Controlled room temperature (15–25°C) | Many medicines and some produce | Insulated shippers that protect against heat and cold |
For medicines, the Therapeutic Goods Administration's Australian Code of Good Wholesaling Practice sets expectations for storage and transport conditions. If you distribute medicines, your transport arrangements need to support the temperature requirements on the product label and your own quality system.
Packaging that holds temperature for the whole journey
The most common mistake is choosing packaging for the flight time rather than the door-to-door time. A two-hour flight from Melbourne to Brisbane can become an eighteen-hour journey once you add pick-up, terminal processing, security screening, waiting for the flight, unloading, and delivery or collection at the other end.
- Plan for the worst case. Size your packaging for at least the longest realistic transit, plus a buffer for a missed flight.
- Use validated shippers for pharmaceuticals. Choose systems tested for the duration and ambient temperatures you expect, including Australian summer conditions.
- Condition coolants correctly. Gel packs that are too cold can freeze chilled products, and packs that are too warm will not last.
- Seal seafood properly. Leaking fluids damage other freight and can lead to rejection. Use sealed liners and absorbent material.
- Add a temperature logger to high-value consignments so you can prove conditions or identify where a problem occurred.
Packaging also affects cost, because insulated shippers are bulky and attract cubic weight. Our guide to packaging for domestic air freight explains how to balance protection and price.
Shipping with dry ice
Dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) is the standard coolant for frozen goods, but in air transport it is classed as dangerous goods: UN1845, Class 9. It turns into carbon dioxide gas as it warms, which can build pressure in a sealed container and displace oxygen in an enclosed hold. That is why the rules are strict.
- Use packaging that lets gas escape. Never seal dry ice in an airtight container.
- Mark each package with UN1845, the words "Dry ice" or "Carbon dioxide, solid", the net weight of dry ice in kilograms, and shipper and consignee details.
- Apply the Class 9 hazard label.
- Show the dry ice details on the air waybill.
- Check your airline's limits, which can vary by aircraft type and hold.
When dry ice is used only to cool goods that are not themselves dangerous, a full Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods is usually not required, but everything above still applies. Staff who prepare these consignments should have appropriate dangerous goods training under CASR Part 92.
Live seafood
Live lobster, crab, abalone and oysters are high-value, time-critical exports and domestic lines. Packing must keep animals cool, moist and alive, typically in insulated boxes with damp packing material. Some live aquatic shipments use compressed oxygen, which is itself dangerous goods, and CASA publishes an advisory circular (AC 92-05) on the permissions needed. Work with an airline and agent experienced in live seafood, and time dispatch to meet the first suitable flight.
Security screening without breaking the cold chain
All air cargo in Australia must be examined or come from an approved Known Consignor before loading. Opening an insulated shipper at the terminal can ruin a temperature-controlled consignment. Qantas Freight advises that pharmaceutical products should be presented as pre-screened, and notes that pharmaceutical companies may qualify for the Known Consignor scheme because of their existing security controls.
Your options are to have a Regulated Air Cargo Agent examine the goods before they are packed or sealed, or to become a Known Consignor yourself if your volumes justify it. Either way, the consignment arrives with a Consignment Security Declaration and moves through without delay.
Interstate biosecurity rules for food and plants
Domestic does not mean unrestricted. Western Australia, Tasmania and South Australia in particular protect their agriculture with strict entry conditions for many fruits, vegetables, plants and plant products, largely to keep out pests such as fruit fly. Depending on the product and its origin, you may need a plant health certificate, treatment, or certification under an interstate certification assurance arrangement.
Consignments that arrive without the right documents can be held, treated, destroyed or sent back at your cost. Check the current requirements of the destination state's biosecurity or agriculture department before every new product or lane.
Timing, routing and handover
- Book direct flights where possible. Every transfer adds handling and exposure time.
- Avoid weekend and public holiday arrivals unless your consignee can collect immediately.
- Minimise tarmac time. In Darwin, Perth or Brisbane in summer, cargo waiting on the apron can heat quickly. Ask how your carrier protects perishables between the terminal and aircraft.
- Confirm the consignee is ready. Chilled goods left at a depot overnight can spoil even after a perfect flight.
- Plan for regional legs. Smaller aircraft on regional routes have limited hold space and may offload freight in hot weather. Our guide to reaching regional and remote areas with domestic air freight covers this.
In perishables, the flight is rarely the problem. The hours on either side of it usually are.
Choosing a carrier for perishables
Ask potential providers whether they have temperature-controlled storage at origin and destination terminals, how they handle dry ice and live animals, what their procedures are for delays, and whether they offer validated pharmaceutical services. Our guide on how to choose a domestic air freight provider lists these questions and more.
Perishables are one of the clearest cases where domestic air freight adds value. For the full framework on using air to strengthen your supply chain, see our complete guide to domestic air freight for businesses.
Frequently asked questions
Is dry ice allowed on domestic flights in Australia?
Yes, dry ice can be carried as air cargo when it is packed in vented packaging, marked with UN1845, the proper shipping name and net weight, labelled with the Class 9 label and shown on the air waybill. Airlines set their own quantity limits, so check with your carrier.
How do I stop security screening from breaking the cold chain?
Present temperature-controlled freight as pre-screened, with a Consignment Security Declaration. Use a Regulated Air Cargo Agent to examine the goods before they are sealed, or become a Known Consignor if your volumes justify it.
Can I send fruit from the east coast to Western Australia or Tasmania?
Often yes, but many fruits, vegetables and plants must meet strict biosecurity conditions, which can include certification or treatment. Check the destination state's current requirements before shipping.
Do I need a temperature logger?
It is not always required, but it is strongly recommended for pharmaceuticals and high-value consignments. A logger shows whether conditions were maintained and helps identify where a failure happened if a claim is needed.
Sources and review. This article draws on guidance from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the Cyber and Infrastructure Security Centre within the Department of Home Affairs, IATA, airline cargo conditions of carriage and published carrier information. Rates, surcharges and rules change often, so confirm current requirements with your carrier before you ship.
Written and reviewed by
George Brown
Senior Air Freight Editor, Georgeiv.net
George has 18 years of air cargo experience, from ramp operations at Sydney Airport to managing airline allocations and pricing for forwarders across Australia and Asia-Pacific. He leads our domestic air freight coverage and checks every figure and rule before publication.