During the third and final installment of our ONE Record webinar series - following two prior sessions that discussed what ONE Record is and what air cargo community benefits are as well as how to get started with ONE Record, we welcomed speakers from IATA, Saudia Cargo, and CHAMP, to offer insight into how adoption of the new initiative can be made easy.
The central focus being IATA’s ONE Record (1R) framework and the CHAMP 1Neo-Connect solution. Moderated by Bart Jan Haasbeek, CHAMPs Head of Corporate Marketing, PR & Events, the discussion was not simply technical, it was visionary, urging us to let go of legacy models and embrace a new era in which we all work with a single source of truth, eliminating repetitive data sharing amongst stakeholders.
Time to rethink, not just re-digitize
Nicholas Xenocostas, CHAMP’s Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) set the tone early, emphasizing a critical distinction that echoed throughout the session. While there has been considerable progress in digitizing existing models, this is merely the starting point.
The true opportunity, Nicholas asserted, lies in rethinking, not just retooling, the foundational structures of our industry. Our current approaches to supply chain management and information exchange are rooted in decades-old paradigms, many dating to the 1970s. While these have served us well, they are now the very obstacles we must transcend.
Nicholas stated, “But now it's an opportunity, a real opportunity for us as a community to start rethinking how we should be interacting with each other. And not only upstream, downstream, but effectively, I should say, create processes for the next generation,” emphasizing the importance of now. If we take this opportunity and run with it, we could, as an industry, make ourselves more attractive to other modes of transport.
This call to action was continued by Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo, who noted that the future, as he puts it, “is ahead of us.” He later continued, “and as an industry, we can continue to deliver what it is that benefits the world so much, which is connecting goods to people around the globe”. Whilst there is a real philosophical honoring of our predecessors here, for paving the way, it is now our turn to boldly charter a new, interconnected, and transparent future.
From technology to true value: The role of use cases
Nicholas brought a sharp focus to the core of the discussion that technology is only as meaningful as the value it enables for customers. Niclas Scheiber, CHAMP's Business Analyst e-Cargo, emphasized that CHAMP’s approach is to provide the robust technical backbone - the APIs, the data models, the security, while empowering each stakeholder to build tailored, value-driven use cases that align with their unique business needs.
A standout example shared by Ardel Hipos, Saudia Cargo Project Manager, showcased the airline’s adoption of the 1Neo-Connect solution in collaboration with WFS and CHAMP. Ardel explained, “We at Saudia Cargo are taking a practical approach to adopting ONE record by focusing on a specific use case - the shipment pre-advice from airline to ground handling via the FBL message. Instead of tackling the entire standard at once, we're starting with this critical process to ensure a smooth and effective transition”.
This journey exemplifies how ambitious digital concepts can be translated into operational reality through focused execution and cross-industry collaboration. With plans to go live and fully deploy these capabilities across their business by year-end, Saudia Cargo is accelerating its digital transformation and setting a benchmark for the industry.
Legacy systems: A double-edged sword
An important theme that surfaced was the complex relationship the industry maintains with its legacy systems. Our industry’s existing models impact the entire supply chain, making any change both risky and essential. But as Brendan pointed out, the value of adopting protocols like ONE Record is not just in digitizing individual stakeholders, but in digitizing together, across all systems, putting everyone on the same standard to enable new forms of connectivity, transparency, and predictive intelligence.
Many freight forwarders, for example, have already invested in digitized solutions and may question the value of yet another protocol. However, as Brendan elaborated, ONE Record is not simply another digital standard. It is a bridge to the future, connecting disparate systems and standards across the industry.
The benefits are numerous, including complete end-to-end connectivity, integration of IoT data, piece-level transparency, and access to advanced forecasting tools (such as real-time weather and traffic data) that answer pressing questions like “When will my cargo actually arrive?” and “What is the true status of my deliveries?”
Bridging old and new: CHAMP 1Neo-Connect’s inclusive approach
A particularly significant aspect of CHAMP's 1Neo-Connect solution is its inclusiveness. As explained by Niclas, you do not need to be an existing CHAMP customer to take advantage of its capabilities. The solution supports manual upload options (such as cargo-IMP), allowing virtually any participant to get started quickly.
1Neo-Connect was designed with a structured, three-tiered approach in mind to ensure a smooth and confident journey to live ONE Record integrations with air cargo players. You can start your ONE Record adoption by playing in a safe and secure environment independently, or opt to exchange data with other subscribers. You can also opt to exchange data with external parties. An example use case is the exchange of booking information, made possible by utilizing a standard and established ONE Record data model, enabling seamless data sharing regardless of underlying technologies.
API-Driven adaptability
Bart Jan asked critical questions on behalf of the engaged audience, one of them being “Are traditional cargo management systems equipped to work with ONE Record?” The frank answer is mostly no. Nicholas explained that most legacy systems are built on cargo-IMP, and technology will have to adapt to stay relevant. CHAMP’s approach is to bridge the old and the new through APIs (of which ONE Record data exchange is based on), facilitating communications between systems regardless of their native protocols.
Bart Jan followed up by asking, “And is Cargospot neo equipped for this type of communication?” Nicholas assured the audience, “Cargospot neo is, can digest data points which are outside the traditional, that’s point number one. I think the other thing which we need to also recognize is that to implement ONE Record, I think I mentioned at the beginning that it's very much based on APIs, right? ONE Record is a whole bunch of APIs going back and forth through the whole stakeholders. And from our experience, we're already processing over 3 million APIs for our community. So, you know, from a scalability, critical mass, I think we got that covered.”
What if we don’t succeed as an industry?
The conversation didn’t shy away from hard questions from the audience. Continuing his role of moderator, Bart Jan asked, “What’s the implication if we don’t succeed with ONE Record?” Nicholas’ answer was candid, “I have to say it's not a good day for the industry. We spent all this time working towards a common protocol, and if we don't succeed on this, then the answer is what will we do? What's the alternative? We don't have another alternative, and I think that's a fundamental message to everybody.” He continued, “What’s going to happen is everybody's going to have their own standard, and then you're going to have a proliferation of technology. And then what?”
Business value for freight forwarders: Why change?
One of the most pressing concerns for freight forwarders is the business rationale for adopting ONE Record. As Brendan explained, while digitized solutions already exist for many, ONE Record unlocks a new realm of possibilities. It allows for industry-wide connectivity, reduces the need to mix and match different standards and protocols, and enables the integration of future innovations such as IoT sensors and real-time analytics.
The result isn’t just operational efficiency - it’s a fundamental shift in how value is delivered to customers. With ONE Record, freight forwarders are better equipped to offer transparency, reliability, and new services that set them apart in a competitive market.
The future depends on all of us
This third webinar was more than a technical briefing; it was an invitation to collective progress. The air cargo industry stands at a crossroads, where the comfort of familiar systems must yield to the promise of something greater. The transition to ONE Record and adoption of platforms like 1Neo-Connect are not merely about compliance or technology upgrades - they are about redefining what is possible when we work together.
It is not enough to digitize old models; we must innovate, collaborate, and be willing to let go of legacy mindsets. Only then can we unlock the full potential of a truly connected air cargo ecosystem - one where goods and information are shared accurately, and where every stakeholder, large or small, is empowered to thrive.
The next chapter of air cargo is available now
The tools are ready, the vision is clear, and the future is, indeed, ahead of us. CHAMP's proven expertise in air cargo logistics, combined with a robust network and digital solution implementation, offers you a smooth transition to ONE Record with a trusted partner.
For more information about our ONE Record solution, 1Neo-Connect, click here.