A new US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report has confirmed what many freight forwarders have long warned: outdated cargo facilities, congested truck access points and incomplete federal data are choking the efficiency of the nation’s air cargo network. The findings place official weight behind years of industry advocacy for targeted federal investment in airport cargo infrastructure.

The report’s timing is significant. US airfreight demand remains volatile, with shippers increasingly demanding faster transit times and greater reliability, while competing supply chain modes are securing federal funding and policy attention. The GAO’s recognition of systemic deficiencies gives air cargo stakeholders a rare opportunity to press for concrete reforms.

For the Airforwarders Association (AfA), the most pressing takeaway from the GAO’s audit is not simply that the problems exist, but that they are now backed by a non-partisan, government-verified source.

“Our immediate reaction was one of profound satisfaction and validation,” said Brandon Fried, Executive Director of the AfA. “The GAO report’s findings align almost perfectly with what the Airforwarders Association has been tirelessly advocating for over many years.”

While the report identified gaps in data, limited federal engagement and multiple operational constraints, Fried points to ageing physical infrastructure and the resulting truck congestion as the most urgent to address.

“These are the direct physical bottlenecks that immediately translate into operational inefficiencies, delays, and increased costs for our members on a daily basis,” he said.

Poorly configured aprons slow loading and unloading, while older warehouses, often with low ceilings, obstructed layouts and inadequate dock doors, add minutes or hours to processing times.

For forwarders, those minutes carry a high price. Long truck queues and insufficient parking increase driver waiting times and fuel use, while detention and demurrage fees rise. “It erodes our competitiveness and efficiency,” Fried stressed.

Data blind spots undermine planning

The GAO’s findings go beyond visible bottlenecks. The report highlighted missing or unreliable federal data on domestic air cargo volumes, commodity types and warehouse capacity. Inaccuracies in the National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD) have left policymakers and planners with an incomplete view of airport cargo capability.

According to Fried, this lack of visibility directly impacts infrastructure investment decisions. “Accurate, timely data on cargo flows, commodity types, and the actual physical capacity and condition of airport facilities would allow for data-driven infrastructure planning, targeted investments, and more efficient resource allocation by both government and private industry,” he said.

Better data would help anticipate bottlenecks before they escalate and ensure that scarce capital is deployed to the most critical upgrades—whether that is expanding cold storage, adding dock doors or reconfiguring truck access roads.

From findings to federal action

The GAO report could alter the political calculus for air cargo advocacy. “It moves our concerns from anecdotal evidence or industry complaints to official, government-audited findings,” Fried explained. “This is now a non-partisan, objective assessment that policymakers cannot easily dismiss.”

That credibility could prove decisive in securing targeted federal funding for cargo infrastructure, including pilot projects at major U.S. airports to trial solutions for truck throughput and cargo area modernisation. Fried sees such pilots, alongside legislative language establishing dedicated airport cargo funding streams, as clear markers of progress over the next 12–18 months.

However, the report also made clear that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has yet to consistently treat air cargo as a strategic freight priority. While the DOT has agreed with the GAO’s recommendations, Fried says industry pressure must continue to ensure that engagement translates into policy change and budget allocation.

One reason the GAO investigation happened at all, Fried notes, is the united lobbying approach taken by the AfA alongside the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA).

“By presenting a united front, representing a broader segment of the supply chain, we demonstrate the widespread impact of these issues,” he said. The joint effort strengthened the case on Capitol Hill by representing a broad cross-section of the logistics sector.

Now, Fried argues, forwarders and logistics companies must match that unity with sustained, local-level engagement. “Continue to document your pain points related to airport infrastructure – the truck wait times, the facility limitations, the delays. Share your stories with us. Engage with your local airports,” he urged.

For the AfA, that means transforming the GAO’s recommendations into concrete commitments—modernised facilities, smarter truck access, accurate national data—and keeping air cargo on the federal infrastructure agenda alongside rail, road and maritime freight.

With the air cargo sector under pressure from volatile trade flows, shifting supply chain strategies and rising costs, the report’s findings offer a rare policy opening. As Fried puts it: “This is a critical moment, and by working together, we can truly transform the future of air cargo logistics in the US.”