News / Going digital: 'it will get harder and costlier the longer air cargo leaves it'

© Anton Volynets

Air freight’s migration to a digitised economy will become harder and more expensive the longer it takes, according to a senior airline executive.

At this year’s Caspian Air Cargo Summit, MAB Kargo chief executive Ahmad Azmi urged airlines and forwarders to work together in “embracing” digitisation.

“Digital innovation is becoming the new intermediary, allowing you to talk to anyone within the supply chain,” said Mr Azmi.

“As an airline, the majority of our customers are forwarders, so together we must embrace the digitisation process and agree on a viable platform, in a digital strategic alliance.”

Mr Azmi said the industry had a choice: “take the burden now” or fail to adapt “like Toys R Us” and see businesses collapse.

“It is hard to digitise now, but later it will be harder and more expensive. The challenge is to change and adapt,” he continued. “There are steps to successful collaboration, including the need to agree on a clear and specific focus that is led by the needs of customers.”

Mr Azmi said the industry also needed to be creative in its approach, adopting an open culture in line with the “modern environment”, which he described as “transparent”.