At the opening of the 2026 IATA World Cargo Symposium (WCS) in Lima, Peru, the association’s global head of cargo, Brendan Sullivan, highlighted the acceleration of digitalisation, the strengthening of global standards, and enhancing safety and security as the three biggest priorities currently for the global air cargo industry.

Sullivan said: “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 digitalisation, global standards, and supply chain security will position air cargo well to continue supporting economic growth by connecting products to markets.”

Accelerating digitalisation

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 more airlines and forwarders scaling implementation, governments accepting ONE Record data in regulatory filings, and technology providers building and deploying secure, interoperable platforms.

Sullivan said: “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.”

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.

The first is Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR): The number of state and operator variations for the handling of dangerous goods has grown to over 1,200. This adds complexity in an industry where safety is built on global standards. While variations will always exist, IATA emphasised that they should remain transparent, justified, and as closely aligned as possible with global standards.

The second is airport slots. Fair access to infrastructure is essential for efficient cargo operations. At some major hubs – including Bogotá, Dubai, Heathrow, and Gatwick – cargo carriers often receive only temporary or ad hoc slots rather than historic allocations. This limits operational flexibility and long-term planning. IATA emphasised that slot allocation should follow the principles set out in the Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines, ensuring access is fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory.

Sullivan said: “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.”

Safety and security

IATA recommends that 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.

For dangerous goods safety, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 18 is the global foundation for the safe transport of dangerous goods by air. However, IATA suggests that modernisation is needed to ensure regulations reflect today’s digital and fast-moving supply chains and address emerging risks such as undeclared dangerous goods and lithium battery misuse.

For cargo security, air cargo supply chains are potential targets for malicious disruption, underscoring the need for consistent and modern security processes. The cargo Consignment Security Declaration (CSD) is a critical compliance tool, but implementation remains uneven across jurisdictions, according to IATA. The association has called for the wider adoption of electronic CSD (e-CSD) solutions to improve data accuracy, reduce manual processes, and support more efficient security oversight. IATA also highlighted the need for greater alignment across pre-loading advance cargo information programmes.

Sullivan said: “Safety and security are shared responsibilities across the entire cargo ecosystem. Modernising global frameworks and strengthening cooperation between governments and industry will be essential to ensuring that global trade continues to move safely and securely.

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