The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has urged governments, manufacturers, online marketplaces and other players in the air cargo chain to strengthen controls against dangerous goods that enter the aviation system without proper declaration or documentation.
The call comes amid discussions among aviation regulators over whether existing cargo security screening systems could play a greater role in identifying dangerous goods. IATA said security screening remains an important safeguard but was not designed to detect the full range of hazardous commodities regulated under aviation safety rules.
The association said about 80 per cent of dangerous-goods incidents reported to it during the first half of 2025 involved items that were either undeclared or concealed. Lithium batteries, aerosols and e-cigarettes were among the products most frequently involved.
IATA Global Head of Cargo, Brendan Sullivan, said dangerous goods are routinely transported safely by air when the established requirements are followed, but the risk increases when such products enter the supply chain without accurate declarations.
“Every part of the supply chain has a role to play in identifying and stopping such incidents as soon as possible,” Sullivan said.
He explained that cargo security screening is primarily designed to address aviation security threats, particularly those associated with terrorism, and therefore cannot by itself provide comprehensive protection against undeclared dangerous goods.
“Security screening, which is primarily focused on terror threats, is one layer of protection against rogue shippers, but it is not a complete solution. A comprehensive multi-layer approach beginning as far upstream in the supply chain as possible is essential,” he said.
In its white paper, Safety and Security in the Cargo Supply Chain, IATA outlined a multi-layered approach involving governments, manufacturers and online marketplaces, shippers and other cargo intermediaries, airlines and ground handlers, as well as airports.
The association called on governments to strengthen oversight and enforcement of dangerous-goods regulations throughout the supply chain, while manufacturers and online marketplaces should ensure hazardous products are correctly identified and certified where required.
It also urged manufacturers and e-commerce platforms to provide accurate product information to customers and other parties involved in transporting the goods.
For shippers, freight forwarders and postal operators, IATA recommended stronger acceptance procedures and staff training, alongside greater use of customer and shipment data to identify potentially high-risk cargo before it reaches an airport.
Airlines and ground handlers, it said, should reinforce checks before cargo is accepted and loaded onto aircraft, while airports should improve information sharing and coordination among members of the cargo community.
The recommendations place greater emphasis on preventing improperly declared dangerous goods from entering the aviation system in the first place, rather than relying primarily on detection at airports.
IATA said the approach would complement existing aviation security screening and dangerous-goods controls, creating several layers of protection from the manufacture and sale of products through to their acceptance, handling and loading for air transport.
The association maintained that stronger coordination across the supply chain would be essential as the volume and complexity of air cargo continues to grow, particularly with the expansion of e-commerce and the increasing movement of products containing batteries and other potentially hazardous materials.
