IATA Releases Updated 2025 Manuals Reflecting Latest Industry Standards

03 February 2025 (Geneva) – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released the 2025 edition of key industry manuals for cargo and ground handling operations, which incorporate over 350 changes and revisions needed to align with evolving industry standards and state and operator variations.

Highlights include:

• Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR)
  • Ten additional new dangerous goods, such as sodium-ion batteries and fire suppressant dispersing devices.
  • Three new entries for battery powered vehicles, depending on the type of battery providing the power.
  • Additional safety mitigation is being introduced with the “State of Charge” at which batteries are shipped.
• Battery Shipping Regulations (BSR)
  • Previously called the lithium battery shipping regulations, this manual has been expanded to include other battery types, such as:
    • Sodium-ion batteries with organic electrolyte,
    • Wet, spillable batteries, filled with acid or alkali,
    • Non-spillable and other lightly regulated batteries.
• Live Animals Regulations (LAR)
  • CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and IUCN (The International Union for Conservation of Nature) species database references included.
  • Updated specifications for containers used for animal transport. 
• Airport Handling Manual (AHM) 
  • Contactless travel, including digitalized travel documentation, updates included.
  • Unruly Passengers and Travel Document Checks policy changes incorporated.
  • IEnvA (IATA Environmental Assessment) reference included for environmental management.
  • IATA Training Passport (ground handling skill recognition across employers) updates.
• Compassionate Transportation Manual (CTM)
• New best practices, up-to-date guidance and checklist for the repatriation of human and animal (pet) remains by air.
• References added for IATA Cargo iQ and ONE Record.

Supplementing the information contained in the manuals,IATA's ONE Source platform offers free industry access to validate aviation capabilities and infrastructure—including temperature-controlled rooms and special handling facilities—further improving the handling of special cargo shipments.

Key stakeholders in the aviation value chain—including airlines, airports, ground service providers, freight forwarders, shippers, and manufacturers—rely on IATA standards to promote safe, sustainable and efficient operations. In addition to IATA’s standard-setting work, the IATA manuals reflect the Standards and Recommended Practices agreed by governments through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and other recognized standard-setting bodies.

“Global standards have made flying safe and reliable. For eight decades IATA’s member airlines have worked with the industry value chain, including regulators, on standard setting and best practices which are critical to daily operations. This year’s IATA manual offering includes over 350 changes, many of which reflect the constantly modernizing technology, regulations and evolving customer needs, along with the industry’s priorities of digitalization and sustainability,” said Frederic Leger, IATA’s Senior Vice President of Commercial Products and Services.

All manuals are available in digital format, in addition to printed versions. Further details on all the updated manuals can be found here.

IATA has also released reports providing a comprehensive overview of developments and critical issues related to Dangerous Goods, Special Cargo, Cargo Operations, and Ground Operations. These serve as a foundation for driving operational change and improvement.