• AfA Executive Director Brandon Fried warned that since the end of de minimis on August 29, air freight networks are shifting from light-touch clearance to full formal entry, leading to fewer but larger and better-documented shipments.
• Members report higher duties, longer cycle times, and tougher returns management, with compliance costs rising even as fraud declines, signalling a major structural shift still underway.
• Fried urged forwarders to consolidate intelligently, strengthen data and tariff governance, and manage duty cash flow early, while AfA continues global advocacy ahead of its 2026 AirCargo Conference in Orlando.

TheAirforwarders Association(AfA) Executive Director, Brandon Fried, has warned that airfreight networks are still adjusting to the end of de minimis, with compliance tightening and the small-parcel model giving way to heavier, consolidated shipments.

AfA members have reported higher duties, longer cycle times, and greater complexity in returns management since de-minimis thresholds ended on August 29, Fried told delegates at the FIATA World Congress 2025 in Hanoi.

“The industry has moved overnight from light-touch clearance to full formal entry,” said Brandon Fried, Executive Director, AfA.

“We are seeing fewer parcels but larger, better-documented shipments. Fraud has dropped, but working-capital and compliance burdens have climbed sharply.

“Realignment is far from finished.”

Fried urged forwarders to consolidate smartly, invest in master data and tariff governance, and design returns solutions through Free Trade Zones or Inward Processing Relief schemes.

He said forwarders must address duty cash-flow early and strengthen visibility across purchase orders to manage the post-de-minimis environment effectively.

Over 1000 delegates from over 100 countries attended the FIATA World Congress 2025 this week to network and hear from experts on the theme of ‘Green and Resilient Logistics’.

The AfA continues to advocate globally on behalf of freight forwarders, ensuring their voice is heard on issues that shape international logistics, trade policy, and supply chain resilience.

The AirCargo Conference, co-hosted by AfA, will take place in Orlando, Florida, in February 2026, bringing together airlines, airports, forwarders, and regulators to discuss the next phase of industry modernization and collaboration.