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Airmail Panel (AMP)

The objectives of the AMP include:

• The development and maintenance of standards for the procedures, documentation and flow of information relating to the carriage of airmail;
• The responsibility for all matters dealing with the movement of mail by air, with the exception of issues related to airmail rates and charges;
• The liaison with international organizations, such as the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and International Post Corporation (IPC), to develop common standards and procedures;
• The development and implementation of technical and procedural standards for electronic data interchange (EDI).

Recent Developments

• Guidelines for the use of the Postal Air Waybill (PAWB) number are now agreed after consultation between the AMP, UPU and IPC. PAWB Guidelines version 1.0 (pdf);
• A Joint UPU-IATA-IPC Brochure (pdf) has been produced promoting the use of EDI in the airmail business, which was provided to all the delegates at the IATA World Cargo Symposium.
• A model Framework for a Postal Service Agreement has been developed and agreed by the IATA-UPU Contact Committee. The Framework is a template agreement which sets out standard provisions on the technical and liability aspects of a bilateral agreement between an Airline and a Designated Postal Operator to provide transportation services for mail. However, the specific commercial terms of the agreement must be determined by the parties on an individual basis. Parties are therefore recommended to seek legal advice in negotiating appropriate amendments to the Framework document.
  

Meeting Schedule

The AMP normally meets once or twice a year.

Membership

The AMP consists of upto 12 Members appointed by the Cargo Services Conference (CSC), each being an expert in the airmail field. The current AMP Chairman is Mark Gilbert (American Airlines).

Contact

• Secretary
  Bill Acheson
  Manager, Cargo Business Process & Standards, IATA