FIATA has called for an urgent review of changes to the Direct Air Waybill framework adopted at the recent IATA Cargo Agency Conference, reports London's Cargo Airports & Airline Services.

The organisation warned the reforms could expose freight forwarders to greater liability. The waybill sets out the legal terms of carriage between airlines, forwarders and shippers. 

FIATA said the new rules, due to take effect on July 1, were rushed through with limited consultation and could hold forwarders responsible for matters beyond their control.

Insurers have raised concerns that extending liability to parties without direct control of cargo or documentation could make risks difficult or impossible to insure. FIATA said this could affect the entire supply chain, including shippers.

The organisation invoked Article 4.2 of IATA CAC Resolution 801c, triggering a formal review through the IATA-FIATA Consultative Council. FIATA argued the reforms need proper legal, operational and insurance assessment before implementation.

The dispute comes amid geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruption. Shippers warned the changes could undermine claims handling and contractual predictability. FIATA is asking for a revised framework that aligns with international liability rules such as the Montreal Convention.

FIATA stressed it remains committed to working with IATA to address compliance concerns but said introducing sweeping reforms without consensus risks compounding industry challenges. Whether IATA will delay the 1 July start date remains uncertain.