At the heart of this year’s International Air Transport Association (IATA) World Cargo Symposium (WCS), digitalisation emerged not just as a theme but as a business imperative for the global air cargo industry. With customer expectations for speed, transparency and reliability intensifying, seamless and consistent data exchange is now recognised as vital rather than optional for supply chain efficiency and competitiveness. Central to this transformation agenda is ONE Record — IATA’s flagship data-sharing standard designed to unify how cargo information is created, shared and used across the entire air freight ecosystem.
ONE Record: A Single Language for Cargo Data
ONE Record represents a fundamental shift in air cargo operations, replacing fragmented data formats, point-to-point integrations and legacy messaging with a unified digital model. The standard creates a single record view of each shipment, enabling real-time visibility and collaboration among airlines, freight forwarders, ground handlers, IT providers and regulatory authorities. By defining a common data model and modern API-based exchange mechanisms, ONE Record facilitates plug‑and‑play interoperability across platforms that were previously disconnected.
“The vision for ONE Record is an end‑to‑end digital supply chain where data is easily and transparently exchanged,” IATA has stated, underscoring its ambition to move beyond traditional messaging protocols and usher in a new era of interconnected cargo logistics.
Driving Industry Awareness and Adoption
IATA’s recent survey of cargo stakeholders reveals that digitalisation momentum is building: over 70% of respondents are aware of ONE Record, and nearly 50% indicate readiness to adopt the standard, which became the association’s preferred method for cargo data exchange as of 1 January 2026.
More than 30 pilot projects are underway worldwide, exploring practical applications of ONE Record across critical areas such as electronic Air Waybill (e‑AWB) submission, real‑time shipment tracking, customs status updates, digital booking exchanges, and piece‑level export processing. Participants in these pilots include major carriers and logistics players such as Cathay Pacific, CHAMP Cargosystems, Turkish Cargo, Lufthansa, Korean Air, and Schenker.
Industry feedback has also highlighted what stakeholders want most: 78% want more pilots and demonstrations, 75% seek additional peer examples and shared learnings, and 80% are calling for ongoing communication and guidance from IATA as adoption accelerates.
From Awareness to Implementation
In response to these calls for support, IATA is stepping up efforts to broaden technology adoption and implementation guidance. Initiatives include expanding pilot participation across stakeholder groups, offering targeted training and certification, hosting webinars and hackathons, and publishing best‑practice implementation case studies. The goal is to help airlines, forwarders, ground handlers and regulators navigate their digital transformation journeys and embed the ONE Record standard into operational systems.
IATA has also worked with industry leaders through its Digitalisation Leadership Charter, launched at the 2024 World Cargo Symposium in Hong Kong, which now counts more than 40 signatories committed to driving a harmonised digital future for the air cargo sector.
Business Imperative, Not Just Technology
Speakers and delegates at the WCS emphasised that digitalisation is no longer a technical sideline but a strategic requirement. Modern customers demand visibility and predictability; digital processes reduce manual work and error rates, enabling automation and the use of artificial intelligence to further enhance supply chain performance. The consistent message from IATA’s cargo leadership is clear: digitalisation unlocks value, it does not add complexity — and the backbone of this transformation is the ONE Record standard.
As the industry progresses toward the full implementation deadline in 2026, ONE Record stands as a testament to what collaborative digital innovation can achieve — transforming air cargo into a more transparent, efficient and future‑ready business.
