DIGITAL AIR FREIGHT: THE REGULATIONS THAT WILL MAKE DATA TRAVEL AHEAD OF THE GOODS

Air freight is entering a new phase in which speed will also depend on having complete, timely and verifiable data. Regulations such as ICS2, ONE Record, eFTI and ACAS reinforce the role of freight forwarders like Transped, which must coordinate both the physical movement of goods and the documentary and digital flow needed to prevent delays and disruptions.

Air freight enters the data decade

Air freight has always been associated with speed, urgency and reliability. It is the preferred mode for high-value shipments, sensitive products, critical spare parts, samples, technology, international e-commerce and goods that cannot wait for the longer transit times of sea freight. However, new regulations are changing what that speed means in practice. Goods must no longer be the only thing ready to fly; their data must be ready too.

Current developments in the sector help explain this pressure. According to IATA, global air cargo demand grew by 3.4% in 2025, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres, while international cargo increased by 4.2%. The Europe–Asia route ended 2025 with annual growth of 10.3%, consolidating its position as one of the most dynamic corridors in international air trade. In this context, with more cross-border flows, greater e-commerce activity and shifting trade corridors, authorities are seeking to anticipate risk analysis and reduce blind spots across the supply chain.

In the air freight of the future, speed will depend not only on flight availability, but also on having the data ready before the goods reach the airport.

ICS2: what is already in force and setting the direction

To understand what lies ahead, we must begin with ICS2, Europe’s advance cargo information system. In air transport, the obligations under ICS2 Release 2 came into effect on 1 March 2023 for operators involved in the shipment, transport or handling of goods destined for or transiting through the European Union, Norway or Switzerland. This includes airlines, freight forwarders, express carriers and postal operators.

The principle is clear: customs authorities want to receive data before the goods arrive and, in the case of air freight, a minimum set of information must be submitted even before the cargo is loaded onto the aircraft. The Entry Summary Declaration, known as the ENS, enables security and safety risk analysis before the goods enter the European customs territory. If the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the authorities may request additional information, order inspections, require high-risk screening or issue a do-not-load instruction.

Since 1 June 2026, all consignments entering EU territory by any mode of transport must have a valid ENS, submitted directly through ICS2 or, in certain countries, through a combined transit declaration in NCTS Phase 6. Although ICS2 was already a reality for air freight, this date reinforces the underlying message: Europe is building a control model based on advance information rather than late-stage document checks.

For customers, this means that a generic goods description, an uncertain tariff code, incomplete shipper information or inconsistencies between the invoice, packing list and AWB may no longer be treated as minor administrative issues. In air freight, where timeframes are tight, a late correction can affect whether the shipment is loaded.

ONE Record: not a law, but the sector’s new common language

From 1 January 2026, ONE Record is IATA’s preferred standard for sharing data among air cargo stakeholders. It is not a public regulation like ICS2, but it has significant practical relevance because it defines how airlines, freight forwarders, handling agents, technology providers and, potentially, authorities can exchange information.

ONE Record aims to replace isolated documents and messages with a shared data model that is accessible via API and updated in real time. IATA presents it as the foundation for a more digital air cargo sector, offering greater traceability, fewer manual processes and improved consistency among the different participants in the supply chain. More than 200 companies across the air cargo ecosystem have already taken part in pilots, implementation initiatives and working groups related to the standard.

ONE Record does not replace customs regulations, but complements them: the more advance data authorities require, the more important it becomes for the sector to speak a common digital language.

For a freight forwarder, this change is particularly significant. The forwarder operates between the shipper, airline, handling agent, customs authorities and consignee. If each stakeholder works with a different version of the shipment data, the risk of errors increases. When everyone works with consistent information, duplication is reduced and traceability improves. In practice, the role of the freight forwarder is evolving from “transport manager” to “logistics information orchestrator”.

eFTI: electronic documentation gains legal recognition in 2027

The next major European milestone is 9 July 2027. On that date, the eFTI Regulation will become fully applicable, and authorities in EU Member States will be required to accept electronic freight transport information when operators share it through certified eFTI platforms.

The Regulation applies to all modes of transport: road, rail, inland waterways and air. This is important because many air freight shipments are not exclusively transported by air. They include collection at origin, road transport to the airport, handling, the flight itself, customs clearance and final delivery. Digitalising transport information therefore improves not only the air leg, but the entire multimodal supply chain.

The European Commission estimates that eFTI could generate up to €1 billion a year in operational and administrative cost savings for the European transport and logistics sector. Before it becomes fully applicable, the Commission is expected to adopt additional technical specifications, while Member States must prepare their systems to access information held on certified platforms.

eFTI can transform documents currently exchanged as PDFs, paper or emails into accessible, structured and reusable data for authorities and authorised partners.

European customs reform: towards an EU Customs Data Hub

Beyond air freight, the European Union’s customs reform points to a structural shift: moving from multiple national systems and fragmented declarations to a common data environment. The agreed rules provide for the creation of an EU Customs Data Hub, a single platform through which operators will be able to submit customs and product information.

The proposed timetable sets 1 July 2028 as the launch date for the Data Hub for e-commerce goods, followed by a gradual rollout covering all movements of goods by 1 March 2034. The logic is similar to ICS2, but broader: submit data once, reuse it for multiple consignments and enable European authorities to work with shared, real-time information.

E-commerce partly explains the urgency. In 2024, 4.6 billion low-value parcels worth less than €150 entered the EU, 91% of which came from China, according to figures cited by the Council of the EU. Many of these flows rely on air freight or express networks, directly linking customs reform to the sector.

ACAS: the United States also strengthens advance screening

This trend is not limited to Europe. In the United States, the Air Cargo Advance Screening programme, known as ACAS, requires certain data to be transmitted before goods are loaded onto an aircraft bound for or transiting through the country. In November 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued an interim final rule expanding the data required under ACAS, with immediate effect and a 12-month phased implementation period to help the industry adapt.

The update responds to recent threats to air cargo security and aims to identify high-risk shipments before they are loaded onto an aircraft. For companies exporting to the United States or operating routes that pass through U.S. territory, this confirms a global trend: pre-loading information will become increasingly detailed.

In the new era of air freight, incomplete data can be just as critical as goods arriving late at the airport.

What changes for companies using air freight

The practical conclusion is straightforward: in air freight, document preparation can no longer be left until the last minute. Companies will need to review goods descriptions, shipper and consignee details, tariff codes, addresses, weights, number of packages, commercial documentation and consistency across systems. They will also need to know what information must be provided to the freight forwarder before booking, which data depends on the supplier and what must be ready before loading.

For Transped, as a freight forwarder, this context reinforces the value of supporting customers from the very beginning of the operation. Air freight management is not limited to finding capacity, coordinating flights or handling urgent deliveries. Increasingly, it involves anticipating regulatory requirements, organising information, identifying inconsistencies and coordinating all stakeholders so that goods can fly without disruption.

Air freight will remain the fastest mode of transport for many international supply chains. However, its competitiveness will depend on a more demanding combination: physical speed, documentary accuracy and digital capability. The regulations ahead do not remove urgency; they require it to be managed earlier.

Sources for further information

IATA, Air Cargo Market Analysis – December 2025, covering global air cargo growth, international cargo and the development of corridors such as Europe–Asia. (IATA)

IATA, ONE Record specification and governance, Recommended Practice 1695 and the transition from EDI to data sharing. (iata-cargo.github.io)

European Commission, Taxation and Customs Union, official ICS2 and ENS information, advance cargo data, preparation requirements, the consequences of incomplete data and the update of 1 June 2026. (Taxation and Customs Union)

European Commission, Mobility and Transport, eFTI Regulation, full application from 9 July 2027, mandatory acceptance by authorities, transport modes covered and estimated savings for the sector. (Mobility and Transport)

Council of the European Union, modernisation of the customs union, the EU Customs Data Hub, the 2028–2034 timetable and data on low-value e-commerce parcels. (Consilium)