The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is calling for stronger controls across the air cargo supply chain to address the risks posed by undeclared and misdeclared dangerous goods, arguing that aviation security screening should form part of a broader, multilayered safety framework rather than serve as the primary defence.
The association has published a new white paper outlining recommendations for governments, manufacturers, online marketplaces, shippers, freight forwarders, postal operators, airlines, ground handlers and airports.
IATA’s position comes as regulators consider how existing aviation security screening processes could contribute to identifying dangerous goods in cargo.
Related Post
The association said security screening provides an additional opportunity to identify anomalies, but was not designed primarily to detect dangerous goods.
“Dangerous goods are transported safely by air every day. The risk comes when they enter the system undeclared or incorrectly declared,” said Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo.
“Every part of the supply chain has a role to play in identifying and stopping such incidents as soon as possible.”
Undeclared dangerous goods remain a significant concern
IATA said its data highlights the scale of the issue.
During the first half of 2025, approximately 80% of dangerous-goods incidents reported to IATA involved undeclared or hidden dangerous goods, according to the association.
Lithium batteries were among the products most frequently identified, alongside other concealed hazardous commodities including undeclared electronic cigarettes and aerosols.
The problem arises when dangerous goods enter the aviation system without being properly identified, classified, packaged, marked, labelled or documented.
IATA’s Dangerous Goods Regulations provide the framework for transporting properly declared dangerous goods by air. However, those requirements depend on accurate information being supplied by the shipper and other parties involved in the cargo process.
Security screening is one layer, not the complete solution
IATA said cargo screening can provide an additional opportunity to identify suspicious or anomalous shipments, but cautioned against treating it as the main mechanism for detecting undeclared dangerous goods.
The association said existing aviation security controls, screening technologies, certification standards, algorithms and related training have primarily been developed to identify weapons, explosives and other security threats, rather than to provide comprehensive dangerous-goods identification.
“Security screening, which is primarily focused on terror threats, is one layer of protection against rogue shippers, but it is not a complete solution,” Sullivan said.
“A comprehensive multi-layer approach beginning as far upstream the supply chain as possible is essential.”
The distinction is important because a shipment containing an undeclared hazardous commodity may not necessarily present the physical characteristics that conventional security screening systems are designed to identify.
Controls need to begin further upstream
IATA’s proposed approach places greater emphasis on preventing undeclared dangerous goods from entering the transportation system in the first place.
The association is calling on governments and regulators to strengthen oversight and enforcement of dangerous-goods requirements.
It also wants manufacturers and online marketplaces to improve the identification and description of products that contain dangerous goods, particularly as e-commerce creates increasingly complex supply chains involving large numbers of sellers and shipments.
For shippers, freight forwarders and postal operators, IATA is recommending stronger training and acceptance procedures, together with greater use of customer and shipment information to identify potential risks.
The association also calls on airlines and ground handlers to strengthen checks before cargo is loaded, while airports should improve coordination and information sharing across the cargo community.
Lithium batteries remain a particular focus
Lithium batteries continue to receive significant attention because they are widely incorporated into consumer electronics, industrial equipment and other products moving through global supply chains.
The risk is not simply associated with declared lithium-battery shipments. Products containing batteries can be concealed within other consignments or presented without the information needed for appropriate handling.
IATA’s data identifying lithium batteries among commonly detected undeclared or hidden dangerous goods reinforces the importance of accurate product information before cargo reaches the airline or airport.
The issue has also become more complicated as e-commerce and direct-to-consumer shipments have expanded the number of parties involved in cargo preparation and acceptance.
Data could play a larger role
IATA’s recommendations place greater emphasis on the use of customer and shipment data as an additional layer of protection.
Information available earlier in the supply chain can help identify inconsistencies between the declared contents of a shipment and the characteristics of the goods being offered for transport.
This approach could complement physical inspection and screening by moving some risk identification further upstream, where corrective action can be taken before a shipment reaches an aircraft.
The association’s position is that no single control can address the full range of risks associated with undeclared dangerous goods.
Industry-wide responsibility
IATA’s white paper presents dangerous-goods compliance as a responsibility shared across the supply chain rather than an issue that can be addressed solely at the airport or by the airline.
The association’s recommendations include:
Governments: strengthen oversight, enforcement and regulatory controls.
Manufacturers and online marketplaces: improve identification of products containing dangerous goods.
Shippers, freight forwarders and postal operators: strengthen training, acceptance procedures and the use of shipment and customer data.
Airlines and ground handlers: enhance dangerous-goods checks before loading.
Airports: improve coordination and information sharing among cargo stakeholders.
The objective is to create multiple opportunities to identify and stop undeclared dangerous goods before they progress through the transportation chain.
A multilayered approach to cargo safety
IATA said properly declared dangerous goods can be transported safely by air when established regulatory requirements are followed.
The greater challenge arises when hazardous commodities are hidden, incorrectly declared or omitted from shipment information.
For that reason, the association is advocating a system in which dangerous-goods controls begin well before cargo reaches an airport and continue through acceptance, handling, screening and loading.
The approach would make security screening an additional safeguard within a wider system of regulatory oversight, accurate product information, trained personnel, shipment-data analysis and operational controls.
As global cargo supply chains become more complex, IATA’s white paper argues that preventing dangerous goods incidents will require closer cooperation among all parties involved in moving freight — from manufacturers and online marketplaces at the beginning of the supply chain to airlines, handlers and airports at the point of air transport.
