Airfreight is moving from Plan B to an embedded contingency — but new DAWB liability rules worry shippers and forwarders

# Overview Airfreight is moving out of the traditional "Plan B" slot and into routine contingency planning for many shippers. At Aviation Connect in Athens, James Hookham of the Global Shippers Forum explained why aircargo is being scheduled into supply chains more often and why recent rule changes around Direct Air Waybills (DAWBs) are creating fresh problems.

# Why shippers are using more airfreight Since the Covid era, ocean transport has become less predictable for some routes and cargo types. That unreliability pushes shippers to factor airfreight into plans earlier, especially as peak-season deadlines approach — Black Friday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas in particular. Hookham said shippers are more likely to choose air when goods have to meet strict sales windows or contractual delivery dates.

# The DAWB liability change and its implications IATA introduced changes to DAWB rules that alter where legal liability may fall in the event of disputes or disruptions. Under the revised approach, forwarders can become the liable party even when they book cargo as agents rather than as the contracting party. Hookham said this shift may affect many shippers and forwarders.

• Forwarders may face new liabilities that they did not expect when acting as intermediaries.
• Some forwarders could change commercial arrangements to avoid liability, adding operational complexity.
• Others may seek additional insurance to cover the new exposure, which raises costs for forwarders and likely for shippers.

Awareness of the DAWB change is uneven. Hookham reported that in markets such as Australia and New Zealand the adjustment had not registered as an operational issue for many participants, which suggests market education and implementation will lag discoveries of practical impacts.

# Practical operational priorities For shippers and airports, the immediate, concrete priorities are reducing dwell time and streamlining the interface between commercial and statutory activities. Those steps cut handling costs, reduce risk of damage or delay, and better support the increased use of air when timelines tighten.

For forwarders and insurers, the priority is to assess contracts and insurance coverages in light of the DAWB changes. That means: review agency vs principal language, quantify new liability exposures, and decide whether to renegotiate carrier agreements or purchase additional insurance.

# Outlook