News / Airlines still doubtful, threatening IATA deadline for One Record data standard

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Airlines remain sceptical of adopting IATA’s “embryonic” One Record data standard, a mindset that could mean a “wait until 2050” for full industry adoption, according to players at Air Cargo Europe. 

IATA’s One Record is a standard for data sharing, creates a single record view of a shipment and defines a common model for the data that is shared via standardised and secured web API [application programming interface].  

IATA has set a goal of next January for all IATA members to achieve ONE Record capability.  

Ashwin Bhat, CEO of Lufthansa Cargo, told The Loadstar on the sidelines of the event in Munich: “We are pioneering a lot of initiatives, taking a leading role, because we believe One Record is the way to go.” 

“It is how to interact not just with our customers, but with our suppliers, and also internally. It’s one way to reduce costs and to bring not only efficiency but also effectiveness.  

“I can be very clear, Lufthansa Cargo is going to meet the deadline set by IATA in certain areas – not everything, because that’s not the idea, but we are very confident, we are we supporting it and leading it,” he said. 

But not all carriers share the same enthusiasm.  

Roger Samways, VP commercial at American Airlines Cargo, explained that while he believed “ultimately it will take off”, the reason AA Cargo is not yet part of One Record was “because it’s embryonic, from an industry perspective”. 

He explained: “We’re focused on it, as is everybody, but I think if you talk to folk in the industry it’s gathering pace, but there’s still work to do.

“We’re focused on building direct relationships with our customers. Our focus is more around how we actually build API connections with some of our largest customers, to exchange information directly with them as opposed to a broader industry initiative.” 

However, Mr Bhat said that by being one of the first adopters of the initiative, stakeholders could “still work with the partners who are ready for it”. 

He added: “You can always say ‘let’s wait for the whole thing to be ready’ and only then start; or you say ‘let’s start with it, test it out, let’s do a minimum viable product and see how you want to ramp it up’.

“So, if a certain handling agent is ready or a customer is ready, we go with them rather than waiting for the whole world. Otherwise, you will wait till 2050.” 

VP ecargo portfolio at Champ Cargosystems Edward Dorr told The Loadstar “the journey to One Record is a much bigger change than just doing the same thing in a different way”, and added: “It’s a complete upheaval.”

He explained: “It’s very early days. It’s going to take quite a long time to scale and I think right now people are very reticent and confused. It’s very technical. 

“If the majority is still in transition, or don’t move, then there might be a need still to unearth the old standards and keep them going. I think what we’ve seen is a lot of pilots over the years – everyone’s done their own, and now they’re realising it’s very complicated and quite costly. 

“I think to get the scale, it’s going to only work with cargo community systems. I think if we can adopt One Record and support our customers to do that en masse, then we’ll get the scale,” Mr Dorr concluded.  

Tristan Koch, chief commercial officer at Awery Aviation Software, added: “IATA can only be the facilitator of this, we must all commit and participate… We accept this is not an easy challenge, but solving these problems is what Awery excels at.

“Awery has always promoted the free and unhindered exchange of data and information across the air cargo industry and wider supply chain. To fully realise the benefits to all parties of One Record will depend on a similar approach being adopted by all involved.”