CIFFA Forwarder Magazine

11 THE FORWARDER | WINTER 2025 Moderator: Bill Gottlieb, CIFFA Airfreight Committee CHAIR AND Director Eastern Canada at ITN Logistics Group Panel: Brad Elias, Director, Air Service/Cargo, Winnipeg Airports Authority, Matthieu Casey, Managing Director Commercial Branch, Cargo Division at Air Canada and Brandon Fried, Executive Director, The Airforwarders Association, Bill Gottlieb, Chair of CIFFA’s Airfreight Committee, asked the panel how AI’s power will reshape the future of the various air cargo sectors. Matthieu Casey, Managing Director Commercial Branch, Cargo Division at Air Canada, noted that it is accelerating a lot of what we do, and making things a lot smoother. Brad Elias, Director, Air Service/Cargo, Winnipeg Airports Authority, noted that where it will take more shape is on predictive analysis. Even more exciting that blockchain, said Brandon Fried, Executive Director, The Airforwarders Association, AI is going to allow for faster shipment processing for most of clients. Apart from issues of hallucinations across the platforms, AI has the ability to level the playing field “from the small guys to the big guys”, he said. Gottlieb also raised the topic of the need for air cargo infrastructure at airports, the role of airports to promote the value and drive the adoption of digital cargo systems, negotiable air cargo documents and drones. The adoption of e-freight has taken years, noted Gottlieb. Airports are experimenting with promoting digital cargo community systems. There may be the need to have government mandate such systems and Elias believes there is appetite for this. Casey said that there is a place for cargo community systems in Canada “but I don’t think it is a mirror image of what exists in other places right now.” Fried said that in the U.S., they are dealing with some antiquated cargo systems and appointment setting technologies but it’s been scattershot. “We looked to Brussels-they’ve had tremendous success with their automation system. Truckers just can’t show up at an airport to find out if their freight is available. It is not the only tool. There needs to be more investment,” he said. Gottlieb pointed out the need for greater investment in air cargo infrastructure in general. “We see antiquated facilities. Ground handlers have cut the amount of free time, there are storage fees, forced compliance. Whose responsibility is that?” “There is a shortfall in infrastructure, said Elias, who mentioned that there is an airport improvement fee collected for every passenger who lands. But cargo is different, with aeronautical fees charged to the carrier. “They are not one to one dollars. We need to bucket our fees and allocate them on our own,” he said. There is an imbalance in the cost of things vs. the revenues being collected. Examining the increasing complexities of operating in the air cargo environment