An aircraft earns money in the air and loses it on the ground. When a fault grounds it — a failed component, a damaged part, a missing tool — every grounded hour is expensive, in lost revenue, crew disruption and knock-on delays. AOG (Aircraft on Ground) logistics is the most urgent tier of freight there is: get this part to that aircraft, anywhere, by the fastest legal means. Delman runs a 24/7 desk for exactly this — answered by people who can act, not a queue. Got an aircraft on the ground? Call +971 56 533 1912, email aog@delmanshipping.com, or send the part and route and we'll move on it now.

What's included

  • 24/7 desk — around the clock and across time zones; AOG doesn't keep office hours, so neither does the desk.
  • Airside handling — priority handling at the apron and customs pre-clearance, so the part moves straight to the aircraft rather than into a queue.
  • Time-critical movement — every option optimised for one thing: elapsed time, from the first call to wheels-up.

Why AOG isn't normal air freight

Standard air freight optimises for cost and consolidation. AOG optimises for elapsed time, and that changes everything: the booking is made immediately, the shipment is watched continuously, and a plan B is held in reserve. There is no "we'll quote you tomorrow" — which is precisely why the desk runs around the clock.

The AOG toolkit

There's no single method — the right tool depends on the part, the route and the deadline:

Common time-critical solutions

  • Next Flight Out (NFO) — your part booked on the very next available flight as priority freight; the workhorse where a scheduled service serves the route soon.
  • On-Board Courier/Hand carry — a courier hand-carries the part as accompanied baggage, door to door, staying with it the whole way — maximum speed and control for high-value or irreplaceable parts.
  • Charter — a dedicated aircraft when no scheduled service fits, the part is oversized, or it's a whole-aircraft recovery (see air charter).
  • Priority road feeder — expedited trucking for the first or last mile and regional moves, connecting airport to apron and final destination fast.

From request to wheels-up

What separates a good AOG provider is the response in the opening moves, not the flight time. A typical sequence:

  1. Request — part details, weight, dimensions and any dangerous-goods status captured.
  2. Routing — flight options and couriers checked in parallel; the fastest viable path chosen.
  3. Booking & build — space secured, the part collected, packed and labelled for priority handling.
  4. Export & security — documentation prepared and export and security screening cleared.
  5. In motion — continuous tracking, proactive updates, and a plan B held in reserve.
  6. Recovery — import pre-cleared at destination so the part moves straight to the aircraft.

The fastest flight is worthless if the part is stuck in clearance — in AOG, the win is made in preparation, with the paperwork ready before the wheels leave the ground.

Customs, certificates & traceability

Aircraft parts aren't ordinary cargo. They frequently need certificates of conformity and full traceability, may fall under export controls or dual-use rules, and can move on an ATA Carnet for temporary admission — tooling or loan units, for example. Some are also dangerous goods — chemical oxygen generators, pyrotechnic devices, or units containing batteries. Pre-clearance and prepared documents are what keep the part moving instead of waiting, so we line up customs clearance while the part is still in the air.

Why bring AOG to Delman

  • A desk that can act, not a queue — answered around the clock by people who make routing decisions immediately.
  • Every tool on one desk — NFO, on-board couriers, charter access and priority road feeder, chosen for the part and the deadline.
  • Accredited DG handling where required — many aircraft parts are dangerous goods; we handle them under GCAA and IATA rules.
  • Coordinated through Dubai — one of the best-connected hubs on earth for reaching Europe, Asia and Africa, with clearance and freight under one team.

Related guide: AOG Logistics Explained

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