A three-year initiative aimed at developing a seamless, door-to-door system for conventional air cargo could be in jeopardy if a meeting in Los Angeles on 24 February votes as expected.
At stake are plans by the International Air Transport Association's special interest group, Cargo 2000, to create a common IT platform that would co-ordinate the activities of forwarders and airlines and enable them to offer shippers the same guaranteed door-to-door journey times as integrators such as FedEx and UPS (see Airline Business, February, P79).
In December, Cargo 2000's executive committee recommended abandoning plans for the common IT platform and allowing its 36 members to choose individual solutions. This was due to be ratified on 24 February by a meeting of all Cargo 2000 members.
The Cargo 2000 executive claims that this new approach will enable members to develop solutions at their own speed. Critics say, however, that it is an expensive mistake. "Airlines and forwarders will spend millions trying to upgrade their own systems separately, rather than buying a proven, off-the-peg system," says Hugh Doyle, managing director of Unisys Freight Management, whose 1996 report on inefficient cargo practices led to the creation of Cargo 2000.
Without a common system, Doyle says, "it will be like trying to get a football, rugby and hockey player to handle the ball in the same way. It just won't work."
Chris Shawdon, manager of cargo community systems at Syntegra, a rival to Unisys to operate the common platform, says its abandonment would be a missed opportunity. Although Syntegra is offering to help Cargo 2000 members make the necessary system upgrades, he says this will be a slower route to achieving the goals envisaged Cargo 2000.
Source: Airline Business
