IATA Gets Airlines to Commit On Cargo Modernization

IATA gets a commitment from their members
At the recent IATA 73rd Annual General Meeting which was held in Cancun, Mexico, this topic was high on the list for discussion and possible agreement.
At the end of the get-together, a resolution was adopted “to accelerate the modernization and transformation of the air cargo industry.”
The statement went on to say that the resolution “builds on the momentum created by the entry into force of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).”
IATA’s head man, Alexandre de Juniac commented that “the TFA commits governments to making trade faster, cheaper and more efficient. Air cargo processes are stuck in an-other century,” he says.

Action is needed behind words
This discussion on modernizing the air cargo industry has been pushed back and forth from one entity to another during the past years.
The result has been disappointing due to the lack of progress, which some would put down to a lack of interest in the industry as a whole to get air cargo up-to-date, more competitive and offer faster solutions to its customers.

It cannot be said that generally nothing is being done.
But - it’s not enough and the coordination between the various players still leaves much to be deserved.
IATA, is quite rightly so, now calling on governments around the globe to show their support for industry modernization.
Simplifying the Business Cargo (StB) is what IATA now terms this resolution in order to, among others, bring new initiatives for data-led innovation - and so on!

The move is good, but should have been initiated much earlier and let’s hope that this one does not end up in someone’s drawer and we’ll be having the same discussion this time next year.

However - positive action is a must and the industry must want to coordinate closer in order for the air cargo industry to get out of the backwoods.

John Mc Donagh