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The International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations or FIATA called for a formal review of the proposed changes to the Direct Air Waybill framework
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Changes were adopted at the recent International Air Transport Association Cargo Agency Conference and is supposed to take effect July 1, 2026
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FIATA said a reevaluation is necessary in view of “insufficient consultation on the legal, operational and insurance implications of the proposed measures”
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The adopted measures include changes to the DAWB framework that have significant implications on the allocation of contractual responsibilities, liabilities and indemnities across the air cargo supply chain
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FIATA said the proposals may significantly expand liability exposure towards freight forwarders
The International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) called for a formal review of the proposed changes to the Direct Air Waybill (DAWB) framework, which was adopted at the recent International Air Transport Association (IATA) Cargo Agency Conference and is supposed to take effect July 1, 2026.
FIATA, in a statement, said a reevaluation is necessary in view of “insufficient consultation on the legal, operational and insurance implications of the proposed measures, growing legal uncertainty among industry stakeholders, and the need for stability in an already disrupted global air cargo market.”
The group is invoking the IATA-FIATA Consultative Council (IFCC) review mechanism under IATA Cargo Advisory Council Resolution 801c, Article 4.2. This provision enables stakeholders, notably freight forwarders and industry bodies like FIATA, to request a structured industry-wide reassessment of proposed changes to cargo rules, such as frameworks governing Direct Air Waybills.
“Such a review would enable a structured, industry-wide reassessment, recognising that changes of this magnitude require inclusive and consent-based development among affected stakeholders,” FIATA said.
The adopted measures include changes to the DAWB framework that have significant implications on the allocation of contractual responsibilities, liabilities and indemnities across the air cargo supply chain.
A DAWB is a non-negotiable contract of carriage between a single shipper and an airline.
More balanced framework
FIATA said it had conducted extensive global consultations with freight forwarders, airlines, insurers, legal experts and shipper representatives, including cargo owner perspectives, and the industry group has identified “possible pathways towards a more balanced and operationally workable framework.”
The new measures are in response to concerns raised by airlines in areas such as compliance, due diligence and risk visibility.
FIATA said the proposals “may significantly expand liability exposure towards freight forwarders even where they act solely as agents of the shipper and do not control the underlying cargo information or compliance processes.”
FIATA noted that the proposals were communicated by IATA to the freight forwarding community in January 2026 only shortly before Regional Joint Council and IFCC consultations “leaving insufficient time for proper legal, operational and insurance assessment.”
Insurers participating in the consultations also pointed out the uncertainty regarding the scope of liability — especially where disconnected from operational control — may have implications for the insurability of risks and the predictability of claims handling.
FIATA stressed that “structural changes affecting the allocation of rights and liabilities across the air cargo supply chain should be developed on the basis of broad stakeholder consensus and rigorous legal and technical assessment.”
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FIATA is a non-government, membership-based organization representing freight forwarders in some 150 territories. Members include 104 associations and more than 4,700 individuals, overall representing an industry of 50,000 freight forwarding and logistics firms worldwide.
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