Perishable goods were among the first commodities carried by air. With years of operating experience, airlines have developed very effective handling techniques for chilled and frozen products, providing shippers with optimum, cost-efficient packaging methods for these time and temperature sensitive commodities.
IATA's Perishable Cargo Regulations
IATA's Perishable Cargo Regulations (PCR) is an essential reference guide for all parties involved in the packaging and handling of perishables for air transportation. It has been developed based on the experience of a number of major airlines and the scientific data supplied by research institutions.
CITES endorsement IATA's Perishable Cargo Regulations
In its Resolution for Transport of Live Specimens (Conf. 10.21), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) recommends that all parties dealing with the preparation and transport of live plant specimens follow the instructions provided by IATA's Perishable Cargo Regulations (PCR) and incorporate them in their national legislations.
View the CITES Resolution text
Time and Temperature Management
The transportation of Time and Temperature sensitive goods is a core service offered by IATA airlines and affiliated freight forwarders or logistics service providers. These goods are originating from the Healthcare sector, the Food and Beverage as well as the ornamental plant industries. Indistinctive of their origins, Time and Temperature management is the overarching need that binds these highly distinctive commodities together.
The 9th edition of the PCR introduces new requirements for the transportation logistics of healthcare products. Amongst these are a new quality management system, training requirements and a new label (mandatory as of July 2010). These changes are the result of the collaboration by carriers with pharmaceutical associations and many other stakeholders in the supply chain, including but not limited to freight forwarders, terminal operators, ULD manufacturers, packaging & tracking and tracing companies.