SA/Africa lead in e-air waybill adoption

South Africa currently ranks 14th out of 50 of the top countries that have seen growth in electronic air waybill (e-AWB) penetration over the past year, according to the latest International Air Transport Association (Iata) statistics released last month for the year ending July 2015. Furthermore, by July 2015, Africa had recorded 43.6% e-AWB penetration, just 1.4% short of Iata’s target for the end of the year. Only the Middle East exceeded Africa’s achievement with a total adoption of 58.5%. Iata commented that while global e-AWB penetration was on the up, the current growth rate was not sufficient for it to hit target for 2015. Iata said in an online statement that there was still much to be done if adoption was to reach the target of 45% by the end of the year. The association added that if growth continued at the rate it has since the start of the year when the figure stood at 24.9%, e-AWB penetration would reach only 32.1% by the end of December. To help improve growth, Iata recommended that ground handlers prepare themselves for e-AWBs. “Ground handlers are urged to work with their airline customers to offer single process, which simplifies the process for freight forwarders, and to offer the fast lane concept to customers. Statistics show that offering single process at key e-AWB locations will result in three times faster e-AWB growth than those who do not offer single process,“ said Iata.