IATA Calls for Multi-Layered Action to Curb Undeclared Dangerous Goods in Air Cargo

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called for stronger collaboration across the global air cargo supply chain to tackle the growing risks posed by undeclared and mis-declared dangerous goods entering the aviation system.

The association said the problem requires a multi-layered response involving governments, manufacturers, online marketplaces, shippers, freight forwarders, postal operators, airlines, ground handlers and airports, rather than relying primarily on existing aviation security screening systems.

IATA’s call comes amid discussions among regulators over whether current aviation security screening processes could play a greater role in identifying dangerous goods before they enter the air transport system.

While acknowledging that security screening provides an important layer of protection, IATA said it was not designed to detect the full range of dangerous goods and should therefore not be regarded as the primary solution to the problem.

The association said well-established Dangerous Goods Regulations already provide a framework for the safe transport of hazardous materials by air when such goods are properly declared, classified, packaged, labelled, documented and handled.

However, it warned that the greatest risk arises when dangerous goods are deliberately or inadvertently concealed, incorrectly declared or omitted from shipping documentation.

According to IATA, about 80 per cent of dangerous goods incidents reported to the association during the first half of 2025 involved undeclared or hidden dangerous goods.

Lithium batteries and other concealed hazardous commodities were among the products most frequently identified, with undeclared electronic cigarettes and aerosols also featuring prominently.

Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo, said dangerous goods were transported safely by air every day when the established procedures were followed.

“Dangerous goods are transported safely by air every day. The risk comes when they enter the system undeclared or incorrectly declared,” he said.

Sullivan said responsibility for preventing such goods from entering the air cargo system should not rest with a single part of the supply chain.

“Every part of the supply chain has a role to play in identifying and stopping such incidents as soon as possible,” he said.

He noted that aviation security screening was primarily developed to address security threats, particularly explosives and other items that could be used to compromise the security of aircraft.

“Security screening, which is primarily focused on terror threats, is one layer of protection against rogue shippers, but it is not a complete solution,” Sullivan said.

He added that a comprehensive approach should begin as far upstream in the supply chain as possible, before shipments reach airports and enter the final stages of the air transport process.

“A comprehensive multi-layer approach beginning as far upstream the supply chain as possible is essential,” he said.

Security screening has limitations

IATA said existing cargo security screening systems were primarily designed to identify explosives and other aviation security threats, rather than the broad range of dangerous goods that could present safety risks during air transport.

This distinction is particularly important because dangerous goods can include a wide variety of products and materials, ranging from lithium batteries and aerosols to electronic cigarettes and other hazardous commodities.

A shipment may therefore pass through a security screening process without necessarily being identified as a dangerous goods risk if the item does not present the characteristics that the screening system was designed to detect.

IATA’s position is that this gap makes it necessary to establish additional safeguards at different points in the cargo supply chain.

In its white paper, Safety and Security in the Cargo Supply Chain, the association outlined measures aimed at preventing undeclared and mis-declared dangerous goods from entering the aviation system.

The paper calls for governments to strengthen oversight and enforcement of dangerous goods requirements throughout the cargo supply chain.

IATA also urged manufacturers and online marketplaces to ensure that dangerous goods are properly identified and certified where required, while providing accurate product information.

The association said this was particularly important as the growth of e-commerce has expanded the volume and diversity of goods moving through postal and air cargo networks.

IATA called on shippers, freight forwarders and postal operators to strengthen their training and acceptance procedures for dangerous goods.

It also urged these operators to make greater use of customer and shipment information to identify higher-risk cargo before it reaches an airport.

The association said early identification would provide additional opportunities to stop improperly declared goods before they progressed further through the supply chain.

Airlines and ground handlers, meanwhile, were encouraged to strengthen checks before cargo is loaded on aircraft.

These checks would provide another layer of protection by helping to identify shipments that may have been incorrectly declared or that raise safety concerns before they are accepted for carriage.

IATA also called on airports to improve coordination and information-sharing among members of the cargo community.

The association said greater cooperation and timely exchange of information would help stakeholders identify potential risks and respond more effectively when suspicious or improperly declared shipments are detected.

The measures form part of IATA’s broader argument that dangerous goods safety and aviation security should be addressed through complementary layers rather than through a single screening mechanism.

The association maintains that properly declared dangerous goods can be transported safely under established international requirements, but that the system becomes significantly more vulnerable when shippers fail to declare hazardous contents or deliberately conceal them.

With undeclared and hidden dangerous goods accounting for the overwhelming majority of incidents reported to IATA in the first half of 2025, the association is pushing for greater accountability and intervention at every stage of the cargo journey – from the manufacturer and seller to the shipper, freight forwarder, airport and airline.