In air freight, hardly anyone says "insulated cover" the same way twice. On the cargo floor, in the booking and on the apron you will hear: thermal cover, air cargo cover, ULD cover, thermal pallet cover, insulated pallet cover, reflective pallet cover or cargo blanket. All of these refer to the same product: an insulating, reflective cover that protects temperature-sensitive cargo between cold store, apron and cargo hold.
One product, seven names
| Term | Used by |
|---|---|
| Thermal cover / thermal pallet cover | Carriers and ground handlers, in packing instructions |
| Air cargo cover | Forwarders and booking platforms |
| ULD cover | Handling on unit load devices: PMC, PAG, AKE, LD3 |
| Insulated / reflective pallet cover | Technical specifications and tenders |
| Cargo blanket | American usage, loose blankets over the build-up |
Watch out for two terms that do not belong on this list: a plain pallet cover is usually a plastic hood against rain and dust, and a thermal blanket without qualifier is a survival blanket. Neither insulates freight.
What the cover is for
An air freight pallet sometimes sits outside for hours during handling — on hot tarmac in summer, below freezing in winter. The reflective outer layer blocks radiant heat, the insulating inner layer keeps the cold in the load. Around 95% of our covers go onto ULD and pallet shipments via KLM, Lufthansa and Emirates routes, with perishables and pharma as typical cargo.
Sizes for pallets and ULDs
Available in standard sizes for Euro pallets (120 x 80 cm), block pallets (120 x 100 cm), roll containers and the common ULD formats PMC, PAG, AKE and LD3. Non-standard builds are made to measure, from our own production since 1972.
Ordering
All versions with direct pricing are at thermal pallet covers.