IATA Warns Cargo Screening Alone Cannot Contain Undeclared Dangerous Goods Risk

September 25, 2026 in Trade & Industry, Transport, Travel & Tourism by Editor

IATA is calling for a multi-layered approach to dangerous-goods safety, warning that cargo security screening alone cannot detect the full range of undeclared or mis-declared hazardous goods entering the air transport system.

 

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is calling for a multi-layered approach to cargo safety, warning that security screening alone cannot adequately address the risks posed by undeclared or mis-declared dangerous goods entering the air transport system.

The industry body wants regulators, manufacturers, online marketplaces, shippers, freight forwarders, airlines, airports and ground handlers to play a more active role in identifying hazardous cargo earlier in the supply chain.

IATA’s warning, issued in Budapest on 24 September, comes amid discussions among aviation regulators over the role of existing security screening systems in detecting dangerous goods.

While screening remains an important safeguard, IATA says it was primarily designed to identify explosives and other aviation security threats and is not equipped to detect the full range of dangerous goods.

The scale of the problem is reflected in incident data where about 80pc of dangerous-goods incidents reported to IATA during the first half of 2025 involved undeclared or hidden dangerous goods. Lithium batteries were among the products commonly identified, alongside concealed e-cigarettes, aerosols and other hazardous commodities.

“Dangerous goods are transported safely by air every day. The risk comes when they enter the system undeclared or incorrectly declared,” said Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo.

He said every participant in the cargo supply chain has a role to play in identifying and stopping dangerous goods before they reach aircraft.

IATA argues that the response should begin further upstream, rather than relying predominantly on airport screening. It is urging governments to strengthen oversight and enforcement, while manufacturers and online marketplaces should improve product identification, certification and the accuracy of product information.

Shippers, freight forwarders and postal operators are being encouraged to strengthen training and acceptance controls and make greater use of customer and shipment data to identify higher-risk consignments before they reach airports.

Airlines and ground handlers should reinforce pre-loading checks, while airports should improve coordination and information sharing among cargo stakeholders.

The issue is increasingly frontline as e-commerce expands and more consumer products containing lithium batteries and other regulated materials move through air cargo networks.

IATA’s position is outlined in its white paper, Safety and Security in the Cargo Supply Chain, which argues for treating dangerous-goods safety and aviation security as complementary layers of protection rather than relying on security screening as the primary means of detecting undeclared hazardous cargo.