Delta Hosts IATA e-AWB workshop

Workshops detail electronic air waybill processes
June 20, 2012
 
Delta Cargo team members and representatives from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the airline industry’s primary trade organization, hosted regional workshops last week to discuss adopting electronic air waybills (e-AWB) for freight shipments in the New York and Atlanta markets

 The e-AWB process eliminates the need for a paper air waybill and replaces it with a paperless tool to exchange the same information electronically. During the workshop, IATA detailed the essential aspects of the process, and Delta representatives explained the strategy, current industry use, lessons learned and the next steps towards expanding the use of e-AWB and other e-freight initiatives.

“While we all spent this time to understand and execute these new processes, it is very important to keep in mind the pressures in the industry to simplify our processes and take away the inefficiencies that creep in due to the generation, handling and storage of all this paper,” said Myles Nichols, managing director-Global Cargo Operations. “Adopting these new electronic processes and eliminating paper across the supply chain is an absolute necessity. While enabling all of us to add better value in the process, it also becomes mandatory for complying with current and upcoming regulatory changes.”

More than 60 representatives from freight forwarders, 25 airline representatives, two solution providers and a representative from the Department of Homeland Security attended the workshops. The conference offered participants the chance to discuss the viewpoints of the various stakeholders and share successes and challenges.

E-freight is a key strategic initiative in Delta Cargo’s 2012 Flight Plan. The division operates 30% of its domestic traffic today without a paper air waybill. Delta is a leading North American carrier on e-freight and is working with freight forwarders to increase e-AWB use in domestic and international markets.