IATA Operator's Responsibilities

Operators' responsibilities cover the following areas:

• Acceptance
• Storage
• Loading
• Inspection
• Provision of information
• Reporting
• Retention of records
• Training

Operators must provide appropriate information to their employees, including flight crew and ground handling agents, to enable the employees to carry out their responsibilities in regard to dangerous goods. This information must include the following:

• Procedures to alert passengers that certain dangerous goods are specifically prohibited from being in checked baggage
• Action to be taken in the event of an emergency
• Details of the location and identification of cargo holds
• Maximum quantity of dry ice permitted in each compartment
• Instructions on the loading of radioactive material

In addition to the above, it is recommended that the operator's manual include the following information:

• Approval process
• Communication of approvals
• Limitations or procedural requirements
• Interline agreements
• Awareness of the approval process
• Information to be provided to the pilot-in-command

Operators must notify passengers of forbidden dangerous goods at the time of ticket purchase. Notices of forbidden materials should be prominently displayed in sufficient numbers and include visual examples. These notices should be displayed near passenger check-in locations, aircraft boarding areas, baggage claim areas, cargo acceptance points. When passengers check-in, whether it is in person, at an automated check-in kiosk, or over the internet, they must be presented with information on forbidden dangerous goods.

Passengers must acknowledge that they understand the restrictions before the check-in process can be completed.

To learn more about IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations visit our IATA DGR Online Training Certification Courses web page.