IATA

SAL Logistics Services has become the first Saudi company to receive the IATA SeMS Level 1 certification for cargo security.

The International Air Transport Association has launched monthly safety training workshops under the Focus Africa initiative to improve regional aviation safety.

Saadia Zahidi has been appointed as the ninth Director General of IATA, becoming the first woman to lead the global airline association starting November 2026.

Air cargo digitalization continues to face unique operational complexities, though global initiatives like IATA’s ONE Record are driving steady progress.

Air cargo demand fell 4.8% in March 2026 as Middle East geopolitical disruptions hammered demand in major Gulf hubs. Regional performance shows steep Middle East declines offset by Africa-Asia trade route gains.

Global air travel demand increased 2.1% in March 2026, though regional disruptions in the Middle East capped worldwide growth. International travel revenues declined for the first time since 2021.

IATA will host its 38th Ground Handling Conference in Cairo from May 19-21, 2026, examining how artificial intelligence and automation will reshape airport operations while maintaining human expertise.

IATA published results from digital identity Proofs of Concept showing that contactless travel using biometrics and mobile wallets is technically ready. The tests spanned airlines and airports across Europe and Asia-Pacific.

IATA projects global air travel demand to exceed 20.8 trillion RPKs by 2050, more than doubling from 2024 levels under its medium growth scenario.

IATA launched DG Digital on March 16, 2026, to fully automate dangerous goods shipment declarations within its DG AutoCheck platform. Pilot tests in Japan cut rejection rates from 4.5% to 0.5%.

IATA outlined three air cargo priorities at the World Cargo Symposium 2026 in Lima: digital transformation, global standards, and safety. Airlines representing over 70% of airway bill volume are implementing the One Record data standard.

IATA’s March 2026 report shows air cargo enabled $157 billion in pre-tariff US imports in Q1 2025 and transported over two-thirds of global AI-related goods during the year.

IATA’s 2025 safety report recorded 394 onboard fatalities and 51 total accidents across 38.7 million flights, with GPS spoofing incidents surging 193% year-on-year.