• Air cargo is transitioning from document-led processes to unified, data-centric systems, with ONE Record emerging as core infrastructure for real-time interoperability, regulatory compliance and end-to-end visibility.
• Stakeholders across airlines, technology providers and cargo owners view standardised data frameworks as essential for operational accuracy, sustainability reporting, automation and risk mitigation in complex, multi-party supply chains.
• Industry consensus is forming around coordinated digital adoption, with ONE Record positioned to enable integrated ecosystems, predictive capabilities and a more resilient, transparent and competitive air logistics environment.

Air cargo is entering a pivotal phase in its digital evolution as the industry moves from document-driven processes towards data-centric, interoperable systems. At the centre of this transition is ONE Record, the IATA-developed data model designed to enable standardised, real-time information exchange across the global logistics chain. Its growing adoption reflects a wider strategic imperative to create an operational environment where efficiency, transparency and regulatory compliance are anchored not in paperwork, but in integrated digital ecosystems.

This shift is being accelerated by tightening international regulatory frameworks, rising expectations for data accuracy—particularly in the context of EU sustainability reporting—and increasing demand for supply chain predictability. For air transport and trade policy stakeholders, ONE Record is increasingly viewed not simply as a technological enhancement, but as enabling infrastructure for the next generation of trade facilitation.

A structural reassessment of digital connectivity

For airlines, the adoption of ONE Record marks a decisive move away from legacy systems that operate largely in silos. The technology offers what carriers have long sought: a unified digital foundation capable of reducing duplication, minimising error propagation and ensuring all stakeholders can access a consistent dataset.

As Halit Tuncer, VP Cargo Sales MEASA at Turkish Cargo, noted, the shift extends beyond transactional efficiency. “We are not digitising documents; we are digitising relationships. ONE Record enables us to move from isolated systems to a unified data environment. That is where true efficiency begins.”

Tuncer highlighted that early integration efforts have already delivered operational gains, particularly in activities where accuracy and speed are commercial imperatives such as pharmaceutical handling, perishables and time-critical e-commerce flows. Carriers increasingly recognise that improved data connectivity is central to competitiveness.

Transparency driven by regulatory and market forces

European carriers, operating within some of the world’s most advanced sustainability and reporting frameworks, view digitalisation through the dual lens of compliance and commercial value. Anna-Maria Kirchner, Head of Global Sales, Marketing, Product & Sustainability at Finnair Cargo, emphasised the shift in customer expectations.

“Our customers increasingly benchmark us on digital readiness. Real-time data sharing is no longer an innovation—it is an operational requirement that influences booking decisions,” Kirchner observed.

She stressed that regulatory scrutiny in the EU—particularly around emissions reporting and supply chain transparency—is intensifying the need for reliable data structures. “Data integrity is essential for credible sustainability reporting. ONE Record provides a foundation strong enough to support that accountability.”

This aligns with growing policy emphasis on accurate Scope 3 emissions disclosure and lifecycle analysis, where both airlines and shippers face increasing pressure to provide verifiable data.

Interoperability as the cornerstone of digital transformation

Technology providers argue that the sector’s digital challenges stem less from a lack of solutions and more from fragmented adoption. Kunal Maheshwari, Chief Growth Officer at Softlink Global, underscored the importance of seamless cross-platform connectivity. “The industry’s real challenge is not the lack of technology—it is fragmentation. ONE Record allows multiple stakeholders to speak the same digital language, reducing delays, manual handovers and cost leakages.”

Maheshwari noted that the next generation of automation—including AI-supported forecasting, smart capacity planning and advanced exception management—depends heavily on harmonised data structures. Without industry-wide alignment, digital initiatives risk becoming isolated islands of efficiency rather than systemic solutions.

Cargo owners prioritise predictability and compliance

From the shipper’s perspective, the value of digital standardisation is measured in operational continuity and risk mitigation. Sreenivas Rao Nandigam, Global Head of Supply Chain at Sun Pharma, emphasised the high stakes in pharmaceutical logistics. “Temperature deviations, lane disruptions or documentation delays can cost millions. Digitisation allows us to respond faster, but ONE Record gives us the confidence that the data is consistent across all partners.”

With pharmaceutical supply chains increasingly shaped by multi-party coordination across borders, unified data protocols are becoming essential to maintain quality assurance, comply with Good Distribution Practice standards and reduce disruption.

In the garmenting and lifestyle sector, the pressures differ but are equally acute. R. Sampath Raghavan, Head of EXIM & Logistics at Raymond Lifestyle (Garmenting Division), pointed to the fragility of fashion supply chains. “Fashion logistics operates on sharp delivery cycles. One missing document can delay an entire production run. Digitisation offers speed, but standards like ONE Record offer reliability.”

He added that exporters—particularly those serving Europe and North America—face rising expectations for visibility and predictability from buyers who increasingly integrate logistics performance into procurement decisions.

From fragmented digital efforts to integrated ecosystems

The strategic value of ONE Record lies not only in its technical architecture but also in the behavioural and organisational change it enables. Industry leaders broadly agree that digital transformation requires coordinated adoption to deliver measurable results.

Yashpal Sharma, Managing Director of Skyways Group, reinforced this point. “Digital transformation is a behavioural change. When every stakeholder recognises the mutual benefit of sharing data, the system becomes exponentially more efficient.”

The network effects of adoption could ultimately support fully digitised corridors, automated compliance checks and predictive operational modelling—advancements that remain difficult to achieve under fragmented processes.

Strategic trajectory: air cargo in a data-centric trade environment

The industry’s shift from paper-based processes to digital platforms is accelerating under the combined influence of commercial incentives and regulatory necessity. ONE Record has emerged as a critical enabler of this transition, providing an architectural backbone capable of supporting more transparent and resilient trade flows.

While challenges persist—particularly around implementation costs, regional disparities in digital readiness and the need for workforce upskilling—the trajectory is firmly established. Stakeholders increasingly regard data standardisation as a prerequisite for future competitiveness rather than an incremental improvement.

Kirchner captured this forward-looking perspective by noting that, “we are not just digitising air cargo. We are redefining how global supply chains operate.”

As global trade policy evolves and supply chains seek greater resilience amid geopolitical and market volatility, the ability to exchange accurate, real-time data is rapidly becoming a baseline requirement. In this environment, ONE Record is positioning air cargo not merely as a participant in digital transformation, but as a driver of it.