ONE Record: Role of the Chair of the IATA Data Model Working Group

Author:  Niclas Scheiber - Business Analyst e-Cargo Application Services at CHAMP

When you work in air cargo long enough, it is easy to focus on your own domain, your own specific systems, projects, and deadlines.  

Living near Frankfurt Airport, however, I am regularly reminded that our industry is far larger than any single function. Watching freighters climb into the sky each day, I think of the thousands of people who make those flights possible: truck drivers, warehouse teams, pilots, load controllers, and operations supervisors. Beyond them sit the essential support functions of HR, finance, marketing, and compliance. When you consider every airline, forwarder, and IT provider in this global chain, you truly begin to grasp the scale and interdependence of our work.

Air cargo has always been collaborative. The question is: how do we ensure that our data, the digital backbone of the air cargo ecosystem,  works cohesively and in sync with the global teams behind it? That is where the International Air Transport Association (IATA)’s ONE Record comes in.

What ONE Record really means for air cargo

ONE Record is often described as a data standard, but in reality, it is much more than that. It is an industry-wide effort to fundamentally improve how we exchange information across stakeholders, systems, and platforms. Instead of relying on legacy messaging standards and fragmented data flows, ONE Record introduces a shared data model and API-driven architecture designed for real-time, structured, and interoperable communication.

At CHAMP, we view this not as a theoretical exercise but as a practical transformation that directly impacts operational efficiency, transparency, and collaboration throughout the supply chain.

In my role as CHAMP’s representative and Chair of the ONE Record Data Model Working Group, I have the privilege of contributing to the foundations of that transformation.

What the role involves 

My official title is Chair of the IATA Data Model Working Group, but my work is very hands-on and collaborative. My responsibilities include the following: 

• Preparing and moderating working group meetings

• Maintaining and evolving the ONE Record ontology

• Supporting documentation around the data model

• Contributing to technical and conceptual discussions

• Translating practical implementation experience into tangible improvements

• Writing and reviewing GitHub issues based on real-world feedback 

A significant part of the role involves being in close contact with IATA to answer questions on interpretation or implementation from industry peers, current CHAMP customers, prospective adopters, competitors, and academic researchers, both proficiently and efficiently. 

ONE Record is open, collaborative, and transparent by design, meaning these discussions take place in public repositories where anyone can contribute. Openness is essential as a global data standard cannot be shaped in isolation. 

From ONE Record theory to implementation 

At CHAMP, our practical experience integrating ONE Record into real-world air cargo environments gives us valuable insights into what works, where ambiguities exist, and how the standard must evolve to support operational realities.

When we raise GitHub issues or propose refinements, it is often based on concrete implementation scenarios, ensuring that the data model supports scalable systems, not just conceptual alignment.

CHAMP enables me to dedicate structured time each month to community tasks. The workload naturally fluctuates, typically intensifying ahead of semi-annual releases and stabilizing afterwards. As adoption grows across the industry, activity continues to ramp up steadily, and this close and continuous collaboration with IATA ensures alignment between governance and implementation.

Data standardization: Collaboration over competition 

One thing I strongly believe in, and often repeat, is this: ONE Record is not about competition. If every stakeholder used a single system, we would not need a universal data standard. The reality is that our industry is extremely diverse. Airlines, forwarders, ground handlers, shippers, customs authorities, and IT providers operate different systems, architectures, and strategies. ONE Record is about designing a common digital language that allows these systems to interlink more efficiently across vendors and borders.

ONE Record is about bringing a greatly enhanced level of coordination into the digital domain. As Chair of the IATA Data Model Working Group and as part of CHAMP’s ONE Record initiatives, my goal is simple: to help build a robust, practical, and future-proof data foundation that enables our industry to evolve.

Join my live ONE Record session at the IATA World Cargo Symposium (WCS), Peru  

To see how these standards are moving from theory to reality, join me at the IATA World Cargo Symposium in Peru, where I will be leading a session during the ONE Record Training: 

• Topic: ONE Record in action: Core use cases, implemented in practice

• When: Thursday, 12 March | 10:10 AM

CHAMP Cargosystems: Helping build the digital backbone of air cargo 

As a global technology leader, CHAMP doesn’t just follow industry standards; we actively support the vision. We are helping shape the foundations of a more interoperable ecosystem because a more efficient industry ultimately benefits all participants.

For the air cargo industry, stronger data exchange means better collaboration, less duplication, fewer inconsistencies, and faster, more transparent processes. At CHAMP, we are committed to turning the potential of ONE Record into a competitive advantage for the entire ecosystem.

Discover how CHAMP’s ONE Record solution for adoption and use cases can transform your operations, or reach out to our team to schedule a meeting during WCS.