A method of preparing a plurality of items for air transport, comprising: - consolidating a plurality of items (1,10) into bundles, the consolidation comprising: ∘ consolidating a first bundle comprising a first sub-plurality of the plurality of items to be loaded into a unit load device, which first bundle has a prismatic shape or a shape with a trapezoidal cross-section corresponding to a respective contour or part of the contour of the unit load device, and ∘ consolidating a second sub-plurality of the plurality of items into a second bundle, which second bundle has another pre-defined shape, and - loading the bundles into the unit load device so as to populate the volume or part of the volume of the unit load device, wherein: ∘ the loading of the first bundle populates a first sub-volume of the volume of the unit load device, ∘ the loading of the second bundle populates a second sub-volume of the volume of the unit load device, and wherein ∘ the first bundle is loaded before the second bundle to a sub-volume which is enclosed, - manipulating the unit load device during loading, wherein: ∘ the first bundle is loaded in a first orientation of the unit load device, and wherein ∘ the second bundle is loaded in a second orientation of the unit load device, which second orientation is different to the first orientation. - consolidating a plurality of items (1,10) into bundles, the consolidation comprising: ∘ consolidating a first bundle comprising a first sub-plurality of the plurality of items to be loaded into a unit load device, which first bundle has a prismatic shape or a shape with a trapezoidal cross-section corresponding to a respective contour or part of the contour of the unit load device, and ∘ consolidating a second sub-plurality of the plurality of items into a second bundle, which second bundle has another pre-defined shape, and ∘ consolidating a first bundle comprising a first sub-plurality of the plurality of items to be loaded into a unit load device, which first bundle has a prismatic shape or a shape with a trapezoidal cross-section corresponding to a respective contour or part of the contour of the unit load device, and ∘ consolidating a second sub-plurality of the plurality of items into a second bundle, which second bundle has another pre-defined shape, and - loading the bundles into the unit load device so as to populate the volume or part of the volume of the unit load device, wherein: ∘ the loading of the first bundle populates a first sub-volume of the volume of the unit load device, ∘ the loading of the second bundle populates a second sub-volume of the volume of the unit load device, and wherein ∘ the first bundle is loaded before the second bundle to a sub-volume which is enclosed, ∘ the loading of the first bundle populates a first sub-volume of the volume of the unit load device, ∘ the loading of the second bundle populates a second sub-volume of the volume of the unit load device, and wherein ∘ the first bundle is loaded before the second bundle to a sub-volume which is enclosed, - manipulating the unit load device during loading, wherein: ∘ the first bundle is loaded in a first orientation of the unit load device, and wherein ∘ the second bundle is loaded in a second orientation of the unit load device, which second orientation is different to the first orientation. ∘ the first bundle is loaded in a first orientation of the unit load device, and wherein ∘ the second bundle is loaded in a second orientation of the unit load device, which second orientation is different to the first orientation.