Is there any order of loading containers into aircraft instead of weight balance?

Question

Assuming there is some container which have to load into the airliners.

All of them are stored into same size ULD and same weight.

The difference is that some are exclusively passenger luggage, while some are cargo, in which some are more dangerous (eg: more flammable) or less durable.

So, in practice, is there any order of loading those containers into airliners?

Answer 1

Yes, there is.

• Premium luggage (business and first class) is loaded such that it is the first to be retrieved.
• HAZMAT (HAZardous MATerials and items, if applicable) is loaded differently; and placed in different parts of the cargo hold.

There are some areas of the cargo hold (in passenger airplanes) that cannot be used to store ULD, only loose cargo or other special items (such as the transportation of pets).

Some airlines offer temperature controlled ULDs, which require their own special handling.

Of course, transportation of human remains is handled differently.

Strictly for cargo operations; as these are normally multi-stop trips - the ULDs are loaded in the order in which they are to be unloaded.

However, keep in mind that it is very rare to have perfectly uniformly loaded ULDs or crates. So often the loadmaster has to make sure the CG of the aircraft is taken into account when loading and unloading.