Business Segment Information - Financial Information Regarding Company's Operations by Geographic Area (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	$ 1,901,864	$ 2,020,051
Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses	[2]	1,286,728	1,365,937
Salaries and other operating expenses	[3]	456,081	466,513
Operating income		159,055	187,601
Identifiable assets at period end		3,509,967	3,642,912	$ 3,691,884
Capital expenditures		6,127	9,435
Equity		2,037,145	2,125,434	$ 2,197,219	$ 1,987,720
Operating Segments | United States Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	650,407	659,784
Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses	[2]	373,961	367,355
Salaries and other operating expenses	[3]	225,944	218,416
Operating income		50,502	74,013
Identifiable assets at period end		1,858,250	1,906,278
Capital expenditures		4,497	6,915
Equity		1,369,580	1,401,450
Operating Segments | Other North America Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	81,831	91,410
Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses	[2]	45,890	56,241
Salaries and other operating expenses	[3]	23,712	24,209
Operating income		12,229	10,960
Identifiable assets at period end		135,810	175,034
Capital expenditures		61	228
Equity		63,378	82,170
Operating Segments | Latin America Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	37,890	34,179
Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses	[2]	23,765	19,116
Salaries and other operating expenses	[3]	11,749	12,427
Operating income		2,376	2,636
Identifiable assets at period end		68,402	71,168
Capital expenditures		102	93
Equity		28,020	28,581
Operating Segments | North Asia Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	537,955	632,853
Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses	[2]	425,301	498,646
Salaries and other operating expenses	[3]	57,433	68,427
Operating income		55,221	65,780
Identifiable assets at period end		512,808	511,589
Capital expenditures		325	344
Equity		237,255	238,518
Operating Segments | South Asia Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	169,042	177,179
Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses	[2]	121,282	129,810
Salaries and other operating expenses	[3]	29,908	31,462
Operating income		17,852	15,907
Identifiable assets at period end		179,508	174,512
Capital expenditures		188	176
Equity		102,001	114,290
Operating Segments | Europe Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	320,640	312,690
Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses	[2]	221,998	215,895
Salaries and other operating expenses	[3]	81,854	82,843
Operating income		16,788	13,952
Identifiable assets at period end		554,831	579,924
Capital expenditures		645	982
Equity		159,222	165,718
Operating Segments | Middle East Africa And India Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	105,039	112,675
Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses	[2]	74,976	79,503
Salaries and other operating expenses	[3]	25,950	28,811
Operating income		4,113	4,361
Identifiable assets at period end		200,382	234,195
Capital expenditures		309	697
Equity		113,349	126,953
Intersegment Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	[1]	(940)	(719)
Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses	[2]	(445)	(629)
Salaries and other operating expenses	[3]	(469)	(82)
Operating income		(26)	(8)
Identifiable assets at period end		(24)	(9,788)
Equity		$ (35,660)	$ (32,246)

[1] Beginning in the second quarter of 2019, the Company revised its process to record the transfer, between its geographic operating segments, of revenues and the directly related cost of transportation and other expenses for freight service transactions between Company origin and destination locations. This change better aligns revenue reporting with the location where the services are performed, as well as the transactional reporting being developed as part of the Company’s new accounting systems and processes. The change in presentation had no impact on consolidated or segment operating income. The impact of these changes on reported segment revenues was immaterial and first quarter 2019 segment revenues have not been revised.

[2] Directly related cost of transportation and other expenses totals operating expenses from airfreight services, ocean freight and ocean services and customs brokerage and other services as shown in the condensed consolidated statements of earnings

[3] Salaries and other operating expenses totals salaries and related, rent and occupancy, depreciation and amortization, selling and promotion and other as shown in the condensed consolidated statements of earnings.