Who is responsible for care and control of an Air Bill?

• A. Captain or Master
• B. Dispatcher
• C. Driver
• D. Pilot

Answer: (D)

The essential idea is who has custody and control of the shipment’s paperwork and cargo during the flight. In air transport, the Pilot in Command is responsible for care and control of everything on that aircraft, including the air waybill that accompanies the shipment. That means the PIC must verify that the air waybill is present, accurate, and matches what’s loaded, and that all safety and hazmat requirements reflected on the paperwork are being followed. The captain or master is the maritime equivalent and isn’t the correct role for air cargo. Dispatchers arrange routes and paperwork on the ground, and drivers handle ground transport, but neither has the final responsibility for the cargo once the aircraft is in the air. So, the Pilot is the one who has care and control of the air waybill during flight.