FIATA and IATA announce approval of multilateral e-AWB standard

International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) and IATA announced (27-Mar-2013) approval of the multilateral electronic air waybill (e-AWB) standard, removing the need for bilateral e-AWB agreements between airlines and freight forwarders. Airlines will now have a single agreement with IATA enabling them to accept e-AWBs from all participating freight forwarders and forwarders will have a single agreement allowing them to tender e-AWB shipments to multiple airlines. IATA global head of cargo Des Vertannes said, "The approval of the multilateral e-AWB agreement is the most important new cargo standard developed in the last two decades. It gives us critical momentum to achieving the e-freight vision of a paperless cargo system." [more - original PR]