By Dickson Omobola
African Airlines Association, AFRAA, the Airlines Association of Southern Africa, AASA, and the International Air Transport Association, IATA, have urged African countries to implement the Advance Passenger Information, API, and Passenger Name Record, PNR, systems in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, standards and global best practices.
API and PNR systems provide governments with passenger information ahead of travel, helping to strengthen border security, support law enforcement efforts and facilitate the movement of legitimate travelers.
The organisations also urged governments not to fund API and PNR national border security programmes through charges imposed on airlines and/or passengers.
According to them, ICAO’s Policies on Charges for Airports and Air Navigation Services (Doc 9082) make clear that border security is a government responsibility and that related costs, including those associated with API and PNR programs, should be funded by governments rather than airlines or passengers.
