11 March 2026 (Lima) – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) highlighted three priorities for the global air cargo industry:
‘Air cargo plays a critical role in connecting businesses to global markets and keeping supply chains moving, even as the operating environment becomes more complex. With so many external events impacting global supply chains—including the tariff and geopolitical shocks—it is important that we work on building resilience in areas we can control or influence. Working together to strengthen digitalization, global standards, and supply chain security will position air cargo well to continue supporting economic growth by connecting products to markets,’ said Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo at the opening of the IATA World Cargo Symposium (WCS) in Lima, Peru.
‘Air cargo data still sits in fragmented systems across the supply chain, creating duplication, delays, and compliance risks. This is particularly challenging for high-volume segments such as e-commerce, where house waybill data must remain aligned with airline master air waybill records across multiple systems and jurisdictions. ONE Record represents a foundational shift in how the industry shares, manages, and trusts data across the supply chain,’ said Sullivan.
From January 2026, ONE Record, the standard for end-to-end cargo data sharing, became the preferred method for cargo data exchange. While airlines accounting for more than 70% of global air waybill volumes are on track for implementation, progress can be accelerated with:
Strengthening Global Standards To ensure that global standards are implemented consistently and that cargo can move efficiently across borders, IATA is focusing on strengthening global standards in two key areas:
‘Global standards and fair access to infrastructure are essential. As global trade evolves, aligning regulatory requirements and ensuring transparent slot allocation will be critical to maintaining reliable air cargo connectivity,’ said Sullivan.
Continued focus is needed to ensure that dangerous goods safety frameworks and cargo security processes across the supply chain keep pace with evolving operational and security risks.
‘Safety and security are shared responsibilities across the entire cargo ecosystem. Modernizing global frameworks and strengthening cooperation between governments and industry will be essential to ensuring that global trade continues to move safely and securely,’ said Sullivan.