Africa’s leading commercial aviation bodies have called on continental governments to accelerate the rollout of Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems, while insisting that the cost of these border-security programmes must be borne by states rather than airlines or passengers.
The joint position was adopted by the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which are urging African countries to implement API and PNR frameworks in line with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The three organisations acknowledge that both systems are essential tools for strengthening border controls, identifying high-risk individuals and improving coordination among immigration, customs and security authorities. API enables the advance transmission of data from travel documents, while PNR provides information drawn from passenger booking records, allowing a more comprehensive risk assessment before travellers arrive at airports.
Despite supporting the roll-out of these systems, the associations argue that they represent a national security responsibility and should therefore not be funded through additional charges imposed on carriers or passengers.
According to the organisations, the introduction of new levies would inevitably feed through into ticket prices, suppressing demand for air travel, curtailing regional connectivity and undermining efforts to make aviation more affordable across the continent.
The position carries particular weight at a time when the industry is seeking to restore profitability and expand intra-African routes, in support of initiatives such as the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), which aims to liberalise the continent’s airspace and boost the movement of people and goods.
The associations further argue that implementation of the API and PNR systems must be accompanied by harmonised legislation, robust personal data protection mechanisms, and a strict requirement that the information collected be used exclusively for security, border control and counter-terrorism purposes, as well as the fight against organised crime.
For the sector, the central challenge is no longer whether to adopt API and PNR systems — whose effectiveness is widely recognised internationally — but how to design a funding model that strengthens security without raising the cost of flying. On a continent where airfares already rank among the most expensive in the world, carriers warn that any additional charge risks dampening demand and eroding the competitiveness of African air transport.
Source: Mercado / Original article: https://mercado.co.ao/companhias-aereas-africanas-rejeitam-taxas-para-financiar-sistemas-de-seguranca-e-pedem-que-estados-assumam-custos/
