ABU DHABI (March 14, 2017) – The air cargo industry needs to listen to its customers and reinvent itself to be more in line with the 21st century, according to the International Air Transport Association.
“I hear two messages pretty clearly,” said Alexandre de Juniac, director general and CEO of IATA, speaking during the opening plenary at the 11th World Cargo Symposium in Abu Dhabi. “First, they are frustrated with complicated and convoluted paper-based processes that belong to the 16th century. They want simple, modern, electronic processes. Secondly, they want high-quality, cutting-edge services.”
One of the key aspects of modernizing processes is the adoption of e-freight, which aims to eliminate the use of physical documents.
“A single air cargo shipment can require up to 30 pieces of paper,” he said. “That’s ridiculous and an unnecessary waste of resources in our internet-connected world, and our customers are disappointed in the bureaucracy of our complicated processes.”
According to de Juniac, the electronic air waybill has reached an penetration rate of nearly 50% across the world. IATA’s target is for it to be at 62% by the end of 2017.
Customers are also demanding that the industry offers better quality.
“Shippers today want responsive services based on intelligent systems able to self-monitor, send real-time alerts and respond to deviation,” de Juniac said. “Technologically speaking, this is totally possible. The key to this and other innovations is using data efficiently and effectively.”
De Juniac ended by saying that aviation is the business of freedom, to which air cargo makes a vital contribution.
“Our work is helping people live better lives,” he said. “Let’s keep that in mind as we navigate the many challenges of our tough business and drive change needed for a more prosperous future.”