BORDER CONTROL & IMMIGRATION

Since the events of 11 September 2001, a number of proposals have come forward from foreign governments and the Border Agencies (Home Office, Immigration, Customs & Excise, the Police and, subsequently, the new Border & Immigration Agency) to impose greater controls on borders and help prevent terrorism.

This has resulted primarily in provision of advance information (passport, PNR data and sometimes additional items) to foreign governments. Effective February 2008, the USA will require passenger data to be transmitted electronically 30 minutes before departure, either individually by passenger or in batches. The USA is further consulting on Secure Flight which would require full name, date of birth, gender and redress number (where appropriate) to be transmitted a minimum of 72 hours in advance of departure and preferably at point of sale.

In the UK, the E-Borders programme is, through Project Semaphore, looking at best practices and long-term solutions regarding pre-authorisation of all passengers travelling to and from the UK. It is anticipated this will come into effect in 2008. Other EU Member States are beginning to look at their own programmes: Spain introduced in February 2007; Germany is expected in spring 2008.

The EU proposal on Passenger Name Records (PNRs) (November 2007) provides for standard passport and PNR data to be collected to the extent available from late 2008.  This will apply to flights into and out of the EU and not intra-EU.

ABTA’s Position

While we understand Governments’ desires to exercise tighter border controls, we are concerned at the extent of some of the proposals which will require additional work (and cost) by principals and agents which will inevitably be passed on to passengers. We want achievable solutions which will not add significantly to check-in times. ABTA is working with the scheduled and charter airlines, ferry companies and operators in pushing for simple, standard EU-wide solutions. On the global front, the trade is pushing for data to be limited to that currently readily available, e.g. contained in the passport machine readable zone/biometric chip, which can be collected at check-in by scanning or swiping the passport, with at least six months’ lead time for new countries requiring data. Upstream collection through GDSs, or charter airlines or tour operators’ systems, may become the norm and consideration is being given by ABTA with the Federation of Tour Operators (FTO) and the Charter Airline Group as to how this might best be facilitated.

Last updated: 8 April 2008