ISO 16049-2:2013 provides general utilization guidelines and calculation methods adequate to guarantee the effectiveness and ultimate load strength of tie-down/lashing arrangements performed to restrain cargo on board civil transport aircraft during flight:

a) cargo loaded and tied down onto airworthiness approved air cargo pallets, themselves restrained into aircraft lower deck or main deck or upper deck cargo systems meeting the restraint requirements of air cargo pallets approved in accordance with ISO 8097, (NAS3610) or ISO/PAS 21100, or

b) additional tie-down on aircraft structure when necessitated by pallet maximum gross mass or centre of gravity limits, or

c) non-unitized individual pieces of cargo, or pieces of cargo placed onto an unrestrained ("floating") pallet into either lower deck, main deck or upper deck containerized cargo compartments of an aircraft, or

d) individual pieces of load loaded in non-containerized (bulk loaded) baggage or cargo compartments.

ISO 16049-2:2013 applies to cargo tie-down/lashing arrangements using exclusively air cargo restraint straps conforming to ISO 16049-1. Its general recommendations may also be used for tie-down arrangements using other means (e.g. steel cables, rope, other types of straps), but under the user's responsibility as to their adequacy and the strength.

ISO 16049-2:2013 provides industry recognized means of complying with Airworthiness Authorities general regulations applicable to load securing on board civil transport aircraft (see 14 CFR Part 25 and EASA CS-25), and aircraft manufacturers Authority approved Weight and Balance Manuals for each aircraft type as specified therein. It is not the intent of this part of ISO 16049 to specify when restraint straps should be used, but how they should be used. It does not, under any circumstance, supersede the requirements of any of the above documents that take precedence at all times.