IATA will have e-freight runningby the end of the year, potentiallysaving US$1.2 billion a year, directorgeneral Giovanni Bisignani told therecent IATA World Cargo Symposiumin Mexico City.

"Cargo processes have not changedin three decades. It is time for the industryto crawl out of the technologydark ages," he said.

"We will be up and running by theend of this year in five key locations-Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, theNetherlands and the United Kingdom.This is IATA’s biggest challenge ever."

IATA estimates that air cargo willgrow at an average of 5.3 percent forthe 2006-2010 period. Most growthwill be in Asia with intra-Asia routesaccounting for 8.3 million tonnes ofcargo, equivalent to 26 per cent of thetotal by 2010.

– John Spiers