AWB Not Found? 9 Common Reasons Explained

It can be alarming to input an Air Waybill number and receive a 'Shipment Not Found' or 'No Tracking Info' error. Here are the 9 most common reasons why this occurs and how to fix them.

1. The Waybill has Not Been Checked In (No RCS Scan)

If your freight forwarder has booked space on a flight (meaning the AWB has been manifested) but the physical goods have not yet been delivered to the airline's terminal at the departure airport, the airline's system will show no record of the cargo. The tracking details only activate after the initial Received from Shipper (RCS) check-in scan.

2. Typing Errors in the AWB Number

Double-check the 11-digit AWB structure. It must begin with a valid 3-digit airline prefix (such as 176 for Emirates, 020 for Lufthansa, or 172 for Cargolux) followed by exactly 8 serial digits. If a check digit is wrong, the database query will fail.

3. System Sync Delays

Data transmission between forwarder ERP systems and airline mainframes can take several hours. If your shipment was picked up recently, wait 4 to 6 hours and try tracking again.

4. Customs Hold or Documentation Issues

If import or export customs have flagged the shipment for manual document inspection, warehouse staff may delay scans, leading to missing status updates.

5. HAWB vs MAWB Confusion

Ensure you are not entering the **House Air Waybill (HAWB)** number. HAWB tracking must be conducted directly on the freight forwarder's portal, whereas the airline portal only accepts the **Master Air Waybill (MAWB)**.