In the world of air transportation, you can’t ignore IATA. This international aviation organization supports aviation activities and helps formulate policy for the aviation industry. To handle, ship and transport cargo by air, your company must meet IATA safety requirements and have the proper air cargo documents. In addition, airline employees must have the appropriate IATA certifications.
As a dangerous goods specialist with years of experience in the aviation industry, Special Cargo knows exactly what is involved in working according to the IATA guidelines for transportation of dangerous goods. With both support and advice and training, we help organizations comply.
The background of IATA
The International Air Transport Association, or IATA, was founded in 1945 in Havana, Cuba. It is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.
IATA represents nearly 300 airlines from 120 countries, which it says represents 83% of total air traffic. IATA’s mission is to promote safety, efficiency and sustainability in the aviation industry with (safety) standards and regulations.
What does IATA do?
IATA is committed to improving aviation safety and efficiency in several ways. The organization’s duties include the following:
- Airline representation
- Development of safety standards
- Standardization of air cargo documents and procedures
- Training for positions in aviation and air cargo security
IATA and ICAO
To establish safety requirements and procedures, IATA, as an industry organization, works closely with ICAO, the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization. With its large share of the aviation industry, IATA is an important sparring partner of ICAO and partly responsible for setting aviation standards.
IATA’s impact on the global airline industry
Because IATA represents hundreds of airlines, the organization inevitably puts its stamp on trade by air. IATA has established guidelines to ensure safety and efficiency. When it comes to transportation of dangerous goods, an important manual is the Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR), which serves as the basis for procedures and training for working with dangerous goods in the aviation industry.
IATA Certification
For safe and proper handling of air cargo, everyone working within the aviation industry must have the proper IATA certifications. For this, you must undergo training, using the relevant guidelines of IATA.
IATA courses
Special Cargo College offers a wide range of IATA courses, especially for air transport of dangerous goods. But we also have suitable courses for other important tasks in the aviation industry, such as Air Cargo Officer and Air Cargo Controller.
IATA CBTA
Recently, courses using the IATA DGR have become more competency-based. According to IATA’s new training method called CBTA (Competency Based Training & Assessment), more attention is paid to the most important tasks and responsibilities within a job. As a result, the courses are more relevant and hands-on.
Special Cargo is the first training provider in the Netherlands to be IATA CBTA accredited. You are therefore welcome to take the new competency-based IATA training courses with us. Go to our course offerings to see the different trainings and to register you or your employees for them.
IATA codes
What IATA is also known for are the so-called IATA codes, which are ubiquitous in the global airline industry. IATA codes are used to identify airlines, airports and flights. In this way, they serve to increase efficiency and safety in the aviation industry. Read more about IATA codes in this article on our site, where we explain how they are structured and give some examples.
Need support in handling, packing and transporting air cargo containing dangerous goods?
If you want to make sure your company has everything in place for the safe and proper transportation of dangerous goods by air, Special Cargo is here to help. With our expertise and more than 25 years of experience, we can support you in handling, packing and documenting in accordance with IATA DGR guidelines. That way you don’t have to dwell on the complex regulations yourself; our professionals see to it that everything runs smoothly and safely.
