What it is:

1. The IATA e-AWB removes the requirement for a paper air waybill (AWB), simplifying the airfreight process for the supply chain. There is no longer a need to print, handle or archive the paper AWB
2. An e-AWB means more accurate information, more confidentiality, more efficiency as well as the opportunity to reduce costs (no paper handling and archiving)
3.  It also means faster air freight shipments – for example, there will no longer be delays due to the paper AWB being misplaced or lost
   

Industry involvement:

1. The e-AWB has been developed for the supply chain, by the supply chain stakeholders 
2. The updated standard (carriage of cargo using EDI) was a joint effort of IATA and FIATA 
3. It has been adopted by the IATA Cargo Services Conference (CSC) under Recommended Practice 1670 (pdf)
4. The updated standard has now been filed with governments around the world for approval, including the US Department of Transportation
5. The new e-AWB has been trialled already by three airlines and 11 freight forwarders, with positive results

Where can it be used?

1. The e-AWB can be used in all cases where the country of origin and the country of destination have ratified the same treaty: Montreal Convention (MC99) or Montreal Protocol (MP4) 
2. Countries that have ratified MC99 (pdf)
3. Countries that have ratified MP4 (pdf)

How can I use it?

1. Airlines: Sign an EDI agreement (pdf) with your freight forwarders and implement either via direct message integration with EDI capable freight forwarders or develop or buy an already existing online solution to process e-AWBs with non-EDI capable freight forwarders 
2. Freight forwarders: sign an EDI agreement (pdf) with your airlines and implement either via direct message integration or use of airlines’ web portals