News / Consultancy launches suite of protocols to guide air cargo development

SASI World has unveiled a comprehensive set of protocols for airports, airlines and on-airport operators to process air cargo in the post-Covid environment.

“Decades of SASI World management experience and analysis has shown that the industry still operates in a fragmented environment of standards and regulations. No one entity has a set of protocols that guides the industry,” the advisory services firm said.

Smart Cargo Airports, it claims, ties together the latest technological, environmental, regulatory and operational elements on-airport that are required for the introduction of new and competitive airline products.

It was developed in consultation with customers and incorporates information from the UN-CEFACT data corridor committee and ICAO. SASI says it sets standards to meet the requirements of beneficial cargo owners driven by demand for speed, transparency, quality and compliance for environmental issues, as well as economic necessities.

The suite for airlines includes guidelines for forward-looking strategy and planning for future technologies, like E-VTOL, a Data and Logistics Corridor programme and constantly updated service standards for facilities, ground handlers and airport authorities.

“Most important, airports are partners, for market development and product enhancement,” added SASI.

For airports, the product covers aspects from working with developers and airport C-suites on facility development, technology and infrastructure, to security concerns and practices (including cybersecurity) and implementation of a cargo community system with standards and protocols for participation in the Data and Logistics Corridor programme. Also included are best practices and standards for ground handling facilities and a suite of training for airport community stakeholders.

“Continuing discussions with global BCOs, airlines and C-suite GHA management have verified the need for such a programme to achieve the high-value services required,” said STASI. “Clients highly value both chain of custody data throughout the supply chain and a system with built-in redundancy to ensure all SLAs and KPIs are met.”

SASI president and CEO Stan Wraight said airlines wanted to introduce new products, but were often hampered by airports, handlers and government agencies that were not ready to accommodate them. Most players in the air cargo sector worked in silos, he added.

SASI VP Charles Edwards stressed the need for the industry to progress from transactional arrangements towards long-term relationships and collaboration, which would strengthen players’ capabilities to cope with disruptions, which have become regular occurrences.

The move towards implementing the protocols crafted by SASI is already in progress, it said. Several airports, such as Chicago Rockford, Philadelphia, Anchorage and Edmonton, had started the process of implementation, while others, including developers and data systems suppliers and handling agents, were in the evaluation and trial stages, it added.