SUPPLEMENT


1960s The digital genesis


In the age of telexes and transistor radios, a quiet revolution began. Businesses


discovered Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) - swapping paper invoices for digital signals that zipped through primitive networks.


Airlines, still ruled by clipboards and cargo lists, glimpsed a future of electronic manifests and instant communication. Airfreight moved tonnes; data moved faster.


The first digital footprints of trade were laid, and the long runway toward e-commerce and digital logistics had been cleared for take-off.


1970s Air cargo meets automation


Globalisation was taking flight, and so were the planes. As trade expanded, airfreight became the beating heart of international commerce. Airlines adopted computerised


systems to track consignments and automate customs paperwork. EDI gained traction, replacing piles of paper with blinking data


terminals. While e-commerce was still a sci-fi dream, freight operations were becoming smarter, swifter and more connected - the first convergence of aviation and automation, setting the stage for the next digital leap.


1990s The internet ignites commerce The World Wide Web roared to life - and with it,


shopping went online. Amazon sold its first book (1994); eBay (1995) turned second-hand sales into digital gold. The internet changed expectations overnight. Netscape introduced SSL encryption, making secure transactions possible. Online banking, digital marketplaces, and payment systems such as PayPal (1998) made


e-commerce mainstream. Airfreight, once the province of industrial cargo, found itself handling millions of


small parcels. Logistics giants like FedEx, DHL and UPS evolved into e-commerce enablers. The skies filled with packages, and speed became the new currency of trust. The e-commerce age had officially taken off.


1980s


Networks, neurons and the neon age


The 1980s pulsed with microchips, modems, and global ambition. Freight forwarders


embraced tracking technology, giving birth to early digital logistics systems. Air cargo hubs


like Hong Kong and Memphis became symbols of efficiency. Meanwhile, bulletin board systems and dial-up marketplaces hinted at a retail


revolution brewing in cyberspace. Airfreight wasn’t just moving goods anymore - it was


moving data, synchronising supply chains and shortening distances in a world that suddenly felt smaller, faster, and more connected.


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