While platforms and software solutions are proliferating throughout the airfreight industry, one critical issue continues to hold the sector back: seamless data interoperability.

“The air cargo industry increasingly depends on digital solutions to manage a variety of operations: bookings, quoting, track-and-trace,” Tristan Koch, chief commercial officer at Awery Aviation Software, explained. “However, when systems are not designed to connect and share information seamlessly, air cargo companies that have invested in this technology are restricted from fully digitalising their operations.”

At the core of Awery’s approach is the principle that data must flow freely between systems, unencumbered by outdated formats, barriers, or limitations.

“True digital transformation requires interoperability at every level,” Koch insisted. “As a leading technology provider to the aviation industry, we are committed to developing solutions that accelerate the adoption of digital processes industry-wide. A massive part of this is ensuring that necessary data can be shared to and from our platforms.”

In Koch’s view, the future of the industry depends not just on having the right tools, but on making sure those tools can talk to one another:

“You can’t call something truly digital if you still need to manually re-enter data from one system to another. That defeats the purpose.”

The cost of closed systems

While the benefits of interoperability are clear, achieving it across the entire industry remains a challenge. “One barrier is the monetisation of data exchange,” he stated. “We should be able to share data quickly, securely, and without hidden costs; however, there are often small charges associated with transfers across providers, hindering complete interoperability.”

For Koch, these charges are more than a nuisance — they represent a systemic inefficiency that holds back the pace of progress.

“These kinds of barriers add friction and discourage companies from fully committing to digital workflows,” he added. “We need to eliminate these paywalls if we’re serious about industry-wide transformation.”

Awery’s solution to this challenge is grounded in open collaboration and accessible technology. “At Awery, we’re working with fellow industry leaders to develop open API connections that can ensure the free flow of information between platforms, benefitting those companies that are leveraging technology to transform their businesses.”

The emphasis is on openness, flexibility, and mutual benefit — principles that Koch believes must be embraced at every level of the cargo chain. “Data sharing should be a utility, not a luxury.”

Power in partnership

Awery is not working in isolation. Its vision of a connected cargo ecosystem is being built through strategic partnerships and collaborative API development. “Awery collaborates with a number of technology providers to develop API connections, essentially allowing platforms to ‘talk’ to each other without manual data input,” Koch explained. “Our APIs enable real-time sharing of capacity, booking data, and shipment status updates, so customers can push and pull data from other systems, both internal and external.”

These collaborations are already bearing fruit. “We have already partnered with several platforms, including RDC Aviation and Airline Software, and are developing additional partnerships aimed at fostering further collaboration.”

One of Awery’s most impactful partnerships is its role as the IT partner for IATA’s CO2 Connect programme. “We support the platform’s data integration and automation capabilities,” Koch stated, “helping airlines and forwarders easily access trusted emissions data to drive transparency and sustainability across the supply chain.”

This focus on collaborative infrastructure, rather than proprietary control, reflects a deeper philosophy. For Koch and his team, digitalisation isn’t about walling off innovation — it’s about sharing it. “Everyone benefits when the data flows,” he noted. “We’re creating the plumbing for a smarter, more agile air cargo industry.”

Speaking the same language

While APIs connect systems, it’s standardisation that ensures they speak the same language. This is where real transformation becomes possible.

“Standardisation is critical; it ensures that different systems can understand and process the same information with minimal human intervention,” Koch explained. “Awery is a strong supporter of IATA’s ONE Record standard, and advocates for the unification of data formats across the supply chain.”

Awery’s commitment to ONE Record is not merely rhetorical. The company has demonstrated its leadership through action, including multiple wins at IATA’s prestigious hackathons.

“The Awery team recently won its fourth consecutive IATA ONE Record Hackathon with digital solution PHP:ONE,” Koch stated.

The innovation behind PHP:ONE lies in its ability to bridge the gap between old and new systems.

“It’s a platform that can convert all major cargo messages into ONE Record format, bridging legacy and modern systems to allow seamless data exchange,” he explained.

But for Awery, PHP:ONE is more than a trophy-winning tool. “The solution is not just a competition entry for our team; it’s a tool for continuous development that we hope will alter the way this industry shares information,” Koch continued.