IATA pledges action on industry concerns
- Latest News
- Friday, 08 October 2010
Des Vertannes, IATA's new global head of cargo, told delegates at the Airfreight Institute session that IATA had not always managed stakeholder relationships very well and previous promises of action by the Association on issues raised by FIATA members had failed to materialise.
He said things would be different under his leadership, saying: "People who know me know I am a man of my word. I promise members' problems and concerns will receive attention and action."
He added that he valued the relationship between IATA and FIATA and that partnerships were the key to success. He also said, without elaborating, he could see dramatic change ahead for the industry.
On e-freight - IATA's program to improve global freight processing - he said it was making good progress and it was time to move forward with the project. He said it should no longer be referred to as IATA's e-freight, but instead the industry's e-freight program.
"IATA was the catalyst to get the program going but it is now the job of industry to make it successful," said Vertannes.
Answering a suggestion from the floor from Paul Golland, chairman of the Australian Federation of International Forwarders (AFIF), that IATA mandate e-freight to ensure faster take-up by industry and to simplify the e-freight documentation process by filing just the MAWB, HAWB and manifest information, Vertannes said IATA originally mandated a 100 per cent e-freight system by 2015 but it did not progress because it needed global co-operation and conversations between partners to make it happen.
However, he welcomed the suggestion from Golland, which was similar to others he had heard since taking up office, and said he would investigate.
Vertannes added: "I do think a mandate (e-freight) is necessary and would like to see it happen, but it must be a view shared by industry at large."
Golland also wanted to know why IATA member airlines had not restored capacity to meet increased freight demand. He cited 90 tonnes of cargo held up at Los Angeles airport and a similar problem with 50 tonnes at Singapore that was waiting for cargo space to Australia.
Vertannes said that following the global financial crisis (GFC), most airlines had been forced to cut back services. There was now also a problem of a dearth of pilots.
"Carriers just don't have the reassurances at this time to move quickly on restoring capacity to pre-GFC levels. They also need to know that demand will justify increased capacity long-term and is not just a short-term bounce."
Vertannes then promised to talk to member airlines for a status update.
