Relativity.(airports in Brazil)

An international team looking at cargo trouble spots has surprising things to say about a well-known choke point

Call it the South American theory of relativity. Relatively speaking, the long-maligned customs clearance and processing at Brazil's airports appear to be a little better than carriers, shippers and those in-between say they are, according to the preliminary prognosis offered by the International Air Transport Association.

"Compared to some other places we've been to and looked at, Brazil isn't really that bad," said Paul Richardson, IATA's manager of facilitation services. "Sure they have some problems. But they already have the right mechanisms in place."

Brazil was the first stop on an IATA international tour to review the customs clearance and processing at airports, …