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AI Could Cut Eight Hours Off Air Cargo Collections Through Better Data Management

Artificial intelligence could save around eight hours per air cargo shipment by enabling truck dispatch and collection planning to begin before the traditional release-order trigger, according to CHI Cargo Group CEO Kai Domscheit.

At Aviation Connect in Athens, Domscheit outlined how a single unit load device can generate more than 100 separate information flows involving airlines, handlers, forwarders, and airports. Current data management challenges at major hubs like Frankfurt result in inaccurate release orders, unclear cargo specifications, and incomplete shipment documentation.

These gaps drive additional storage charges, empty truck movements, and operational delays. Domscheit emphasized that data standardization must precede automation efforts. "The future of air cargo is not going to be a single platform," he said, arguing that the SaaS model was "dead." Instead, he predicted "an ecosystem, with AI bots speaking to each other." Industry leaders stress that data must be structured before meaningful automation can begin.