Valentines Day this year was the occasion for the 85th meeting of the IATA-FIATA Consultative Council (IFCC) held in Geneva. The IFCC is a consultative body comprised of airline and forwarder representatives which provides recommendations and feedback to the IATA Cargo Agency Conference (CAC) on the IATA Cargo Agency Programme.
During the meeting, FIATA and its forwarder representatives provided feedback on many important topics, including the progress made between forwarders and airlines towards air cargo modernisation, initiated by IATA over a decade ago through the Cargo Agency Modernisation Programme (CAMP). The meeting also highlighted the steps taken on both sides towards this shared goal through the IATA-FIATA Air Cargo Programme (IFACP) cooperation. Together, IATA and FIATA aim to facilitate and strengthen the possibility for forwarders and airlines to be able to provide input on topics of industry concern, such as safety and security. The meeting also provided the opportunity to present the newly-appointed Cargo Agency Commissioners, Mr Marco Alvarenga and Mr Paul Cheetham. Special gratitude was expressed to the outgoing Cargo Agency Commissioner, Mr Brian Barrow, for his many years of outstanding service and support to the IFCC.
Importantly, the IFCC meeting showcased the positive evolution in the relationship between IATA and FIATA, with constructive discussions taking place on the need to modernise the current aircargo framework of the IATA Cargo Agency Programme. FIATA and its forwarder representatives to the IFCC had the opportunity to discuss its proposed way forward on the establishment of a Global Air Cargo Programme that can benefit all regions around the world, and provide more harmonised global standards that reflect commercial realities in the interests of the air cargo supply chain.
The common interest to resume the body’s work following the disruptions brought by the COVID pandemic was underlined, noting the continued evolution of the air cargo market, with topics such as eCommerce, digitalisation and safety and security very much at the forefront. A Global Air Cargo Programme is therefore more necessary than ever, which would allow the possibility for forwarders and airlines to jointly find solutions to the most pressing challenges in airfreight today.
The FIATA Director General and the FIATA Airfreight Institute Chair will present FIATA’s proposed way forward at the 51st session of the CAC on 11 March 2024, held on the occasion of the IATA World Cargo Symposium in Hong Kong.
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Source: FIATA
