e-AWB penetration resumes growth in May

Following March’s surprising drop off in electronic air waybill (e-AWB) usage, May marked the second month of steady gains. Figures from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) show that global e-AWB penetration in May reached a new high of 39 percent, up from 38.3 percent in April. In May 2016, e-AWB volume reached 571,171 tonnes of cargo.

Although the latest numbers are encouraging, it is unclear whether the sector will achieve IATA’s year-end goal of 56 percent.

As evidence that the industry is making progress, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) became the second U.S. airport to be fully e-AWB compliant last week, as designated by IATA. This designation means that the majority of airlines and cargo ground handlers at DFW have adopted e-AWBs for all international airfreight shipments.

IATA publishes extensive data on e-AWB compliance, and the numbers show an uneven adoption rate, as well as varying levels of state support for the program. For example, while the People’s Republic of China does not officially support e-AWB, Turkey and Thailand do.