Global airlines oppose India’s passenger data system proposal

Flying into India could turn into a nightmare for international travellers, if New Delhi goes ahead with its demands for passenger information from global carriers in a particular format before their flights take off for the country.
India proposes to implement from 30 June an advanced passenger information system, or Apis, that requires carriers to transmit key passenger information before their flights take off for India.
Most of the information Apis requires is available in the so-called machine-readable parts of a traveller’s passport. This data can then be compared with security databases by immigration authorities to check the background of the passengers, and flight crew.
India, too, sought to put in a similar system in place starting 1 April, and extended the deadline to 30 June for carriers to prepare themselves. However, airlines say even this may not be met.
Globally, the industry norm is to transfer the highly confidential passport information in a format called the United Nations Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport,or UN/Edifact, which is then decoded by immigration authorities at the country it is sent to.
But India has asked the airlines to send the details in a flat file format, which is the final version and does not require any further decryption. It means the airline needs to re-encrypt the information after sending it across to India.
Steve Ridgway, chief executive of UK-based Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd, that runs flights between Europe and Mumbai and Delhi, said meeting this requirement will require further investments, something Virgin is unwilling to do.
Shigeyuki Kamei, vice-president of industry affairs at Japan Airlines Corp.says the passenger information India seeks is much more stricter and “personal”, besides the difference in formats.
It is stricter than the US in some requirements, he said, adding that the airline has sent its comments to the International Air Transport Association, or Iata.
In addition to the five fields that machines can read off a passport, New Delhi is asking for three more fields: the passenger’s visa number, its date of issue and the passenger’s residing address.
“I have expressed my concerns with the minister (of civil aviation Praful Patel). I have explained to them that we need to have a global standard,” said Giovanni Bisignani, Iata’s director general. “The IT system will (otherwise) be a nightmare in costs.”
12/06/08 Tarun Shukla/Livemint

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Categories: Airports Jun 2008, Foreign Jun 2008, Indian Aviation- In General Jun 2008, Safety Jun 2008