Abstract: In the condition of air freight collect, dispute often occurs when the consignee receives the cargo without paying the freight. It remains controversial in the theory and practice that who should pay the freight, and its essence is what the legal status of the consignee is in the air cargo contract. The theory of assignment of contract reveals the essential characteristic of the air cargo contract, and regards the consignee as a party of the air cargo contract by assigned part of the shipper's rights and obligations. So the carrier should charge for the freight to the consignee.