The International Air Transport Association has released the 2027 editions of its cargo and ground operations manuals from Geneva, updating key guidance for dangerous goods, battery shipping, live animals and airport handling. The revisions bring clearer packaging rules for dangerous goods, tighter controls on spare batteries and power banks, and new operator obligations for lithium battery-powered mobility aids above 300Wh.
The updated package includes changes to the Dangerous Goods Regulations, Battery Shipping Regulations, Live Animals Regulations and Airport Handling Manual, alongside guidance for digital tools. It also covers new provisions for hybrid batteries combining lithium-ion and sodium-ion cells, revised packing instructions for sodium-ion and prototype batteries, and clarification on when the 4-cell/2-battery limit does not apply to certain shipments.
In live animal transport, the 2027 edition adds specific pathogen-free laboratory animals to species listings, standardises terminology and metric measurements in container requirements, and updates aircraft cargo compartment cleaning and disinfection procedures. The ground operations manual introduces guidance for biometric handling in contactless travel, including touchpoint processes and privacy and ethics considerations, as well as more advanced provisions for autonomous ground service equipment operating near aircraft. IATA has also issued a Portuguese version of the Live Animals Regulations following Brazil’s adoption of the manual.