eAWB 360 campaign to hit North America

In an effort to increase the penetration rate of electronic air waybills (e-AWB) to 56 percent globally by year’s end, IATA launched an aggressive airport-centric publicity campaign, called eAWB360), which began in Europe and is set to hit North America on May 3.

As part of the campaign, IATA works with selected airports to implement the e-AWB as standard operating procedure for all parties involved in shipping air cargo into or out of the airport. The hope is for a hub-and-spoke style dissemination of eAWB360’s three pillars which are “single process, standard operating procedures at each airport and a joint communication effort,” emanating from the airport to its partners. Latest figures show average e-AWB penetration at around 37.5 percent, worldwide.

Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport is set to become the first airport to implement the program on May 3, followed by nine other airports: Toronto Pearson International, Vancouver International, John F. Kennedy International, Dallas Fort Worth International, O’Hare International, Los Angeles International, Miami International and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International.

According to IATA, a handful of airlines with operations in the Americas have agreed to participate in eAWB360, including: Aeromexico, American Airlines, Air Canada, Air France, China Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, Finnair, KLM, Korean Airlines, Lan Cargo, Lufthansa Cargo, Qatar Airways, Saudia Cargo, Swiss and United.