Intensive digitalization could turn Spain into an international air freight hub of choice. Through the union of the agents linked to the air sector and the creation of a document platform in the cloud, the air transport needed by the 4.0 society will be achieved.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, it has become clearer than ever that the industry needs to focus its efforts on digitizing air cargo. For more than a year and a half, the industry has been racking its brain trying to innovate, become more flexible and come up with creative solutions to overcome the digital deficiencies of the Spanish airline industry.
Thanks to these efforts, the industry has worked to keep the economy going and move goods from one end of the world to the other: from toilet paper to the vaccines that are now immunizing the world's population. Now, the logistics sector has a great challenge: to become 4.0 to keep up with the needs of the unstable and volatile market in which we live.
Air cargo: an industry in need of digitization
Air cargo must keep up with the demands of the global supply chain, which can be defined as a relay race that requires multiple transfers to make it work and with no one controlling it end-to-end.
The enormous amount of information generated in each transfer increases the complexity of its management. The challenge for the airline industry is to digitize these transfers, structure the data and make intelligent use of it.
Data is the new oil of the 4.0 society and, when it is possible to digitize and automate processes, it will be possible to achieve faster and more efficient air cargo, because the information provided will become a faithful ally to make better decisions.
With the advent of the pandemic, the airline industry is increasingly determined to go digital in order to thrive and drive demand forward, even in times of crisis such as the one we have witnessed.
AENA and UNO join forces to accelerate air cargo digitalization in Spain
After the digitalization deficiencies that exist in the air sector became evident, large organizations have mobilized to solve them. AENA (Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea) and UNO (Organización Empresarial de Logística y Transporte) have joined forces with a clear objective: to digitize the procedures related to air freight transport.
Between them, they will create a favorable ecosystem for air cargo in Spain, as they will set in motion a process of digitalization of operations through a secure and, of course, digital document exchange. To achieve this, it will be necessary to create a cargo community that involves the various agents linked to air freight. This is the only way to achieve a sector that increases agility and efficiency.
A plan that has been followed by the major airline industry powers
This way of working together works, as the most important airports in the world, such as London, Paris, Frankfurt, among others, have put it to the test and have achieved great results.
This strategy focuses on two fundamental pillars:
- The design of a document platform in the cloud: In this design, all links in the air supply chain will have secure and agile access to the required information exchange and documentation. Thus, all the movements required to complete the air shipment will be executed with as few obstacles and delays as possible.
- The creation of an air cargo community in Spain: Once a community is created that includes the different actors linked to air cargo transport, it will be much easier to establish synergies, propose improvements in procedures and carry out better commercial work. Because there are no better advisors and drivers of digitalization than those who suffer from its shortcomings.
In short, digitalization is a clear necessity in the air cargo sector, which will also bring multiple opportunities at the international level. Thus, if the sector commits itself united towards the digital path, Spain will be able to position itself as the air cargo hub it should be: agile, competitive and 4.0.
Consultant in Logistics and Supply Chain Technologies
