Iata to focus on e-airwaybills in 2012

The International Air
Transport Association has
set an aggressive target
for e-airwaybills this year
as it pushes forward in its
goal for 100% e-freight by
2015.
“E-freight is not
the cargo version of
e-ticketing,” senior
vice president industry
distribution and financial
services, Aleksander
Popovich, told FTW in
Johannesburg last week.
“It’s a much bigger
challenge because it
involves collaboration of
the entire supply chain
– demanding a common
energy between shipper,
forwarder, and carrier.”
In the past three years
Iata has been hard at work
getting as many countries
as possible to embrace
the e-freight standard. So
far it’s been adopted by
45 countries representing
75-80% of the world’s
freight.
“The focus now is on
volumes and we set a
target in 2011 of 10%
e-freight on those routes
where the e-freight
standard exists.” And
according to Popovich,
they’re close to it.
“Our focus for 2012
is the master airwaybill
which is a significant
piece of paper moving
between the forwarder
and the airline. We set a
target of achieving 15%
e-airwaybills this year,
which is an aggressive
push. Currently the figure
stands at around 5% – but
Iata will be leading this
charge.”
It’s simply a document
between the forwarder and
the carrier, says Popovich,
and achieving the goal is
largely about the airline
and forwarder agreeing to
take it up.
Leadership, he says,
is the key. “Cathay
Pacific achieved 100%
e-airwaybills outbound
from Hong Kong within
a few months because the
head of cargo took the
lead. It’s entirely in the
hands of the airline and
the forwarder.”