That was the message driven home by Germany’s best-known futurologist and director of Europe’s largest trend research institute, 2b AHEAD, Sven Gábor Jánszky, at a future-oriented evening hosted by Vienna’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, this week. One of the provocative statements he made was “If your employees have not yet come to you with an idea of how to increase their department’s productivity by 300%, then you don’t have sufficient competence in your team.” The technology is there. The future is open to those who realize that and implement it.
That the technology is there in air cargo, was also acknowledged and discussed in detail at the ACHL Technology Panel in Istanbul, last month. Moderator, Chris Notter, first introduced his “boy band for the subject matter”: Bas Vermeer, CIO at Unilode Aviation Solutions, Mukesh Mudholkar, VP of Kale Logistics Solutions, Lionel van der Walt, CCO of Nallian, Esad Taha Cakici, Director of Aviation Business at ICRON, Pedro Garcia, CIO of WFS, and Selim Sari, Expert in Travel Technologies and Passenger Experience at TAV Technologies. He then summarized the direction of the panel: “There’s a lot of tech-dumping at the moment.” Good concepts aimed at improving productivity and efficiency, but work needs to be done on adoption: “We need to embrace the people aspect of change. How do we make people more receptive to tech?”
Tackling adoption challenges
Despite significant advances in technology and AI, adoption remains a sticking point. Bas Vermeer highlighted Unilode’s efforts to track Unit Load Devices (ULDs) using advanced trackers and readers, enhancing visibility. However, adoption bottlenecks persist. On the one hand, getting people to change their way of working. Another large limitation within the air cargo industry is its fragmentation. “Even with the best tech, you don’t cover everywhere outside your network. How do you assign ramp, truckers, planes?” Vermeer said, emphasizing the importance of integration into daily processes for ground handlers and airline operators. And then there is the issue of service providers or GHAs handling different airlines, and thus split processes – perhaps manual for some airlines, and digital for others.
And is it the same tech each time? Lionel van der Walt echoed the sentiment, stressing simplicity and collaboration. “There is so much technology around and it is getting really complex. We need to create SIMPLE solutions and interfaces. We need to be speaking more with stakeholders – especially the people on the ground – to help them do their work better,” he urged.
Balancing innovation and cost
Optimization technologies are critical for growth, but cost and scalability pose challenges, explained Selim Sari. “Complex algorithms depend on significant computing power, which impacts costs for operators,” he said, adding that collaboration and scalability are key to reducing expenses and improving efficiency.
Esad Taha Cakici noted that AI optimization offers opportunities to redesign business models. “It’s not just about doing things faster but about fundamentally changing how we operate,” he said, advocating for a strategic approach to integrating AI into core business practices.
Bridging the gap: training and change management
A recurrent theme was the need for better training and change management. “Rolling out new systems with a single training session and a couple of ‘champions’ isn’t enough,” van der Walt cautioned. Continuous training and structured support are essential to ensure employees understand the benefits of new technology and feel equipped to use it effectively.
Pedro Garcia added, “If a strong operating model isn’t established within three months, the technology dies. It’s crucial to have clear support and knowledge transfer from the start.”
Motivation and engagement also play a pivotal role. According to Vermeer, effective change management depends on three factors: Means (the technology must work), Method (a clear process), and Motivation (incentives for users). Mukesh Mudholkar stressed the need to empower employees. “New tech helps only if people see how it adds value to their role,” he said.
Real-world applications
Several success stories illustrated the potential of technology to drive efficiency. Vermeer pointed to lessons from the pharmaceutical industry, where creating common languages and systems fosters collaboration across supply chains. Van der Walt highlighted landside optimization at airports, where tools like slot capacity management and booking systems enhance transparency and reduce operational stress. “These tools translate tech into day-to-day benefits, like better work-life balance and minimized overtime,” he explained.
Mudholkar emphasized the importance of user-friendly innovations, citing operational modules for mobile devices that streamline data collection and invoicing. “Everything we do should be as simple as a click of a button,” he said.
Looking ahead
The panel concluded with optimism about the future of air cargo technology. As AI adoption accelerates, Cakici predicted a shift in roles and benefits. “The most controllable environment in the airline business is ground operations. Using clean data and AI can help differentiate flight characteristics and streamline turnaround times,” he said.
Sari added that AI could address rising chaos at airports, solving key performance issues and improving overall efficiency.
The overarching message was clear: technology is a powerful enabler, but its success hinges on engaging the human element. With thoughtful change management, continuous training, and a focus on user-centric solutions, the air cargo industry can harness technology to drive meaningful progress.
