Q: Why can the airline change the chargeable weight returned in a rate query?
A: The recalculation of chargeable weight is not limited to non-stackable cargo, although non-stackable shipments are one of several scenarios where this may occur.
Airlines may adjust or recalculate the chargeable weight for a number of commercial and operational reasons, including:
Airline-specific rounding rules
Some airlines apply their own rounding logic to weight calculations.Minimum chargeable weight application
If a shipment falls below an airline’s minimum threshold, the chargeable weight may be increased accordingly.Weight break optimization
Airlines may adjust the chargeable weight to move a shipment into a more favorable weight break.
Example:
A shipment weighing 99 kg may be adjusted to 100 kg if doing so allows the airline to apply a lower per-kg rate.Other airline-specific business rules
These can vary depending on the airline, trade lane, or commercial strategy and may not always be visible upfront.
As a result, differences between requested weight and returned chargeable weight are part of normal airline pricing behavior and should not be interpreted as an error.
If you have questions about a specific rate response, please contact our support for further clarification.