Nairobi, Johannesburg, Amman – The African Airlines Association (AFRAA), the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA), and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged African States to implement Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (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 travellers. It is essential, however, that African States implementing API and PNR do so in alignment with internationally agreed standards, supported by clear legal and operational frameworks.
The organisations also urged governments not to fund API and PNR national border security programs through charges imposed on airlines and/or passengers. 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. Imposing API and PNR fees on airlines to fund government border security programs increases the cost of travel, undermines connectivity, and weakens the economic benefits that aviation generates through tourism, trade, and investment.
