African and global aviation industry groups have jointly called on African countries to implement Advanced Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems, to reinforce border security, augment law enforcement and ease the movement of legitimate travellers. These systems made that possible by supplying the relevant authorities with passenger information before they travelled. The industry bodies concerned were the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
They cautioned that API and PNR systems should be implemented in accordance with the standards and global best practices of the intergovernmental International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
“We support the implementation of [API] and [PNR] data transfer and recognise the important role passenger data plays in keeping borders secure,” stated AFRAA Secretary General Abdérahmane Berthé, AASA CEO Aaron Munetsi, and IATA Regional VP Africa and the Middle East Kamil Alawadhi in a joint statement. “However, these systems must be aligned around internationally recognised standards and funded correctly. A consistent approach, with governments and industry working together, improves security outcomes, makes travel more seamless, safeguards personal data, and avoids unnecessary costs and complexity.”
