Air Cargo Customs Declaration System (HGBS) Activated at All Airports

Turkey’s Trade Ministry has put the Air Cargo Customs Declaration System (HGBS) into operation at all airports handling international flights as of May 4, 2026. According to the ministry’s statement, the platform enables electronic submission of airway declarations and supporting documents to customs authorities, replacing paper-based processes with an end-to-end digital workflow.

The solution was piloted at Esenboğa, Sabiha Gökçen, Antalya and Adnan Menderes airports before national rollout; the legal and operational framework for HGBS has been set out in an official general directive. HGBS provides electronic integration between carriers and customs offices, covering submission, approval and withdrawal of declarations under the prescribed procedural rules.

The Trade Ministry highlighted an expected annual saving of roughly 10 million pages of paper based on 2025 international flight volumes, underscoring environmental as well as efficiency gains. By reducing manual paperwork, the system aims to speed processing times, standardize procedures and strengthen data security while enabling improved risk analysis and oversight through richer electronic datasets.

From a trade perspective, digitalizing air cargo declarations can shorten clearance times, reduce delays in supply chains and lower operational costs for carriers and freight forwarders. The ministry has signaled that stakeholder training, technical integration support and phased implementation measures will accompany the rollout to ensure operational readiness across the sector.

Officials say HGBS will enhance data-driven decision-making and monitoring capabilities at customs; authorities will monitor system performance and uptake in the coming months. Longer term, interoperability with other national and international customs data standards and mutual recognition arrangements could be pursued to further streamline cross-border trade.