Air Cargo Priorities 

In 1997, I became involved for the first time in advocating what we now call digitalization in air cargo. Back then, it was introduced under the banner of IATA’s e-Freight initiative. My daily agenda revolved around engaging and mobilizing key stakeholders and market players through meetings and industry events. The concept generated significant enthusiasm: airlines, freight forwarders, customs authorities—everyone seemed eager to embrace a paperless, data-driven approach that promised faster ground operations, improved efficiency, reduced costs, and enhanced real-time transparency.

However, e-Freight failed to gain the traction it needed. Achieving the ambitious goal of digitizing documents such as Air Waybills (AWBs), House Air Waybills (HAWBs), manifests, and Dangerous Goods Declarations required substantial investments and sweeping operational changes across the industry. The initiative struggled to compete with other critical business priorities, as companies faced a competitive and volatile global environment.

Additionally, not all countries had adopted the necessary legislation to support digitalization. For instance, the question of liability for submitting HAWB data sparked significant debate between forwarders, airlines, and customs authorities. Over time, IATA’s e-Freight was scaled down and replaced by the e-AWB initiative, which had a more focused scope. Today, e-AWB has evolved into a component of IATA’s One Record standards.

Fast forward to today the appetite for digitalization in air cargo has grown considerably. It is now ranked among the top five priorities for air cargo stakeholders. Airlines, forwarders, authorities, and solution providers are better prepared than ever to innovate and deliver real-time data accessibility to those who need it.

Yet, the challenges remain. The industry operates in an even more volatile environment, shaped by recovery from the pandemic, escalating geopolitical conflicts, and a shifting global landscape. Sustainability, resilience and growth are the true core drivers of business strategy.

The truth is digitalization is no longer optional—it is essential for building a sustainable, environmentally friendly future for all of us.

At RR Consulting we are best suited to help you. You can trust us.