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Relationship between airline comes forwarder closer to modernisation

DESPITE continued delays to the Cargo Agency Modernisation Programme (CAMP), equalising relations between forwarders and airlines is inching ahead, says Bill Gottlieb, a member of the FIATA/IATA consultative committee.

FIATA stands for Federation Internationale des Associations de Transitaires et Assimiles, which in English is the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations. IATA is International Air Transport Association.

Addressing the FIATA World Congress in Taipei, Mr Gottlieb said that after more than three of negotiations, they were bringing the forwarder-airline relationship into the modern age, London's Loadstar reported.

"Within the next 30 days we expect to have a meeting between the two legal teams and hope to hammer out an acceptable solution, which will then allow CAMP to be implemented on a global basis," Mr Gottlieb said.

CAMP will formally recognise that freight forwarders and airlines don't trade today as agents and principals, but as principal to principal, and a joint governance system will be established as a practical reflection of this change in status.

The current status has been in place for 60 years, with forwarders growing frustrated by a "one-sided relationship". The CAMP programme has been a contentious issue between the two industry bodies.

CAMP would see joint governance by six forwarders and six airlines implemented, with a majority vote needed for any decision. FIATA takes on the role of governance manager and IATA operations management.

CAMP is crucial in the modernisation of air cargo transport, which has been left behind by passenger revenue and technology have been more widely and efficiently used, such as in baggage tracking.

IATA global head of cargo Glyn Hughes said CAMP was needed to meet shippers' demands for supply chains with increasing levels of sensitivity, including time-definite journeys and temperature control.