The air cargo industry has been slow to move towards automated documentation exchanges between air carriers, customers, ground-handling agents, truckers and customs authorities. But more companies could feel pressure to transact business electronically as governments increasingly seek advance commercial data for security and safety purposes.
Leading the way to a paperless environment is the International Air Transport Association, which represents about 230 international airlines. The goal is to simplify business, improve service and reduce costs - not to mention the environmental benefit of saving thousands of trees and reducing pollution from pulp production - by eliminating the need to physically transport paper forms with the shipment and instead forward them electronically.
