OREANDA-NEWS. Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport announced today it is one of the first two airports in the U.S. to be fully electronic airway bill (e-AWB) compliant, beginning July 1, 2016 as designated by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Airlines and cargo handling companies at DFW International Airport are using technology to streamline the documentation process for shipping international air freight. The implementation of e-AWBs has increased speed and productivity, improved security, enhanced customer service, and achieved greater environmental sustainability, by replacing 30 different paper forms with electronic transmissions.

"Our airline partners and their forwarder and shipper customers will see tremendous benefits from DFW's designation as a cargo e-airport. Technology will be used to simplify the documentation process for all of their air freight shipments," said Mark Thorpe, Head of Cargo Business Development for DFW. "By doing so, they will improve the efficiency, traceability, and integrity of the services they provide at DFW in a more environmentally responsible manner."

To qualify as an e-airport, the majority of airlines and cargo ground handlers at DFW had to adopt e-AWBs with every international air freight shipment. Ten of the 16 airlines that participate in the IATA e-AWB program operate at DFW, including American Airlines, three other carriers that operate passenger-only services, two airlines that operate freighter services, and four carriers that operate both passenger and freighter flights.

IATA is a member-based airline industry trade association that works with its 260 member airlines to promote safe, reliable, secure, and economical air travel.