Received from Shipper
The airline carrier has physically received the cargo from the shipper or freight forwarder at the origin airport. The airline has verified the weight, volume, pieces, and documentation, and officially accepted the goods into their system for carriage.
What Does RCS Mean in Air Cargo?
The status code RCS (representing Received from Shipper) is a standard milestone defined by the IATA Cargo Interchange Message Procedures (Cargo-IMP). It serves as a key check-in event scanned by airline personnel or cargo terminal operators. Tracking this event provides shippers and logistics providers with end-to-end visibility, ensuring that transit connections, cargo transfer, and customs clearance proceed in an orderly manner.
What to Do Next? (Consignee Advice)
Recommended Steps:
No active steps needed. The cargo is now in the hands of the airline carrier and is awaiting build-up and staging for the flight.
Carrier-Specific Naming Quirks
Although the IATA Cargo-IMP standard prescribes the status code RCS, different global airlines and cargo handlers often display this milestone under customized labels. Here is how major carriers translate it:
Emirates refers to this as 'Cargo Received', Delta Cargo labels it 'Cargo Checked In', and Singapore Airlines displays it as 'Accepted for Carriage'.
Typical Next Status Milestone
In the standard lifecycle of an air freight shipment, once the cargo passes through the Received from Shipper (RCS) milestone, it is expected to transition into the following phase:
➡️ PRE (Prepared for Flight / Built Up) or DEP (Departed)
Frequently Asked Questions
On your Air Waybill (AWB), the status code RCS represents Received from Shipper. This status notifies shippers and consignees that The airline carrier has physically received the cargo from the shipper or freight forwarder at the origin airport. The airline has verified the weight, volume, pieces, and documentation, and officially accepted the goods into their system for carriage.
The time a shipment remains in RCS depends on carrier schedules and transit phases. Typically, it transitions within 12 to 36 hours. If a shipment remains in this status for several days without updates, we recommend contacting your freight forwarder or broker for clarification.
Track Air Cargo
Enter your 11-digit AWB number to track cargo status instantly.