Ready for Air AMS implementation (30/07/2004)

British Airways World Cargo has announced its readiness for the start of the new customs regime in the US that is due to take effect from 13 August. The carrier will be fully compliant in nineteen gateways in the US and in other major hubs around its network.

The airline has provided its customers with notice of the intended charges for the service to comply with the mandatory requirements of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which are as follows:

• Electronic data exchange (EDI)
  All House Airwaybill (HAWB) data submitted to BAWC by EDI will be charged at GBP 1.25 (€2.00, $2.50) per HAWB
  
• Documentation (Air Waybill/House Air Waybill) for BAWC to enter the data into its own US CBP reporting system
  All HAWB data that must be manually input by BAWC will be charged at GBP5.50 (€8.00, $10.00) per HAWB
  
• Direct data transmission to AMS by forwarder
  No charge, however it is still necessary for all HAWB data to be submitted to BAWC by EDI

The charges take effect from the 13th August based on air waybill execution date

Keith Packer, Senior Vice President, Commercial, said: "We've made a significant investment in our systems and resources to ensure that we comply with the requirements laid down by US authorities. We believe that these charges are fair and reflect the need to maintain a safe and secure environment. As the demand for electronic data grows, we are hopeful that this will lead to further, much needed modernisation of the aircargo industry."