The adoption of IATA’s ONE Record standard is gaining momentum across the air cargo industry, with airlines, forwarders, technology providers and other stakeholders increasingly moving from testing and evaluation towards practical implementation. The standard, which became the preferred approach for data exchange as of 01JAN26, is gradually evolving from a long-term digitalization concept into an operational framework for sharing shipment data across organizational boundaries.
The growing interest is also reflected in the increasing number of companies seeking partners to test use cases, assess interoperability and prepare solutions for production environments. Rather than developing ONE Record implementations in isolation, industry participants are placing greater emphasis on collaboration, recognizing that the benefits of standardized data exchange depend on connectivity across the wider air cargo ecosystem.
At the same time, discussions around implementation are becoming more focused on practical experience. Alongside the expected benefits of improved data availability and interoperability, companies are addressing challenges such as system integration, process changes, governance and organizational adaptation. Interoperability with existing cargo messaging infrastructure remains a particular priority, as the industry works towards migration paths that allow ONE Record to be introduced without disrupting established operations.
The transition is therefore expected to be evolutionary rather than immediate. Existing messaging systems, processes and IT dependencies have been developed over decades and cannot be replaced overnight. The industry is consequently working on approaches that allow organizations to adopt ONE Record progressively while maintaining business continuity. Growing implementation activity and broader participation across the air cargo value chain indicate that standardized, interoperable data exchange is moving steadily from concept towards wider operational use.
