The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has outlined three priorities for the global air cargo industry: accelerating digitalisation, strengthening global standards, and enhancing safety and security.

The priorities were highlighted at the opening of the IATA World Cargo Symposium (WCS).

“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 tariff and geopolitical shocks—it is important that we work on building resilience in areas we can control or influence,” said Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo.

Accelerating digitalisation

IATA noted that air cargo data remains fragmented across multiple systems throughout the supply chain, leading to duplication, delays and compliance risks.

This challenge is particularly significant for high-volume sectors such as e-commerce, where house waybill data must remain aligned with airline master air waybill records across multiple systems and jurisdictions.

ONE Record, the industry standard for end-to-end cargo data sharing, became the preferred method for cargo data exchange from January 2026.

IATA stated that further progress will depend on broader implementation by airlines and freight forwarders, acceptance of ONE Record data by governments for regulatory filings, and the development of secure interoperable platforms by technology providers.

Strengthening global standards

IATA also emphasised the need for consistent implementation of global standards to ensure efficient cross-border cargo operations.

In the area of Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR), the number of state and operator variations has grown to more than 1,200. While variations may be necessary, IATA stressed that they should remain transparent, justified and aligned as closely as possible with global standards.

Airport slot allocation was also highlighted as an issue affecting cargo operations. At several major hubs, cargo carriers often receive temporary or ad hoc slots rather than historic allocations, limiting operational flexibility and long-term planning. IATA emphasised that slot allocation should follow the principles of the Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines to ensure access is fair, transparent and non-discriminatory.

Enhancing safety and security

IATA said continued attention is required to ensure dangerous goods safety frameworks and cargo security processes keep pace with evolving operational and security risks.

The organisation noted that International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 18 forms the global foundation for the safe transport of dangerous goods by air, but that modernisation may be needed to reflect today’s digital supply chains and address emerging risks such as undeclared dangerous goods and lithium battery misuse.

Cargo security processes were also highlighted as an area requiring improvement. IATA encouraged wider adoption of electronic Consignment Security Declaration (e-CSD) solutions to improve data accuracy, reduce manual processes and support more efficient security oversight. Greater alignment across pre-loading advance cargo information programmes was also identified as important for strengthening supply chain security.