New EU Deal on passenger data transfer to Australia

Last week the European parliament approved a new deal offering the passenger name records (PNR) to be transferred to Australia within data protection laws, helping with airport security and anti-terrorism names. The agreement, set to last for 7 years, will allow the Australian government to keep passenger data for five and half years.

Advance Passenger Information (API), is obligatory in the USA and all EU member states. Increasingly it is being required by governments around the world. Combined with Passenger Name Records (PNR), this information must be sent to the destination country’s border security department for passenger screening, crucial for effective border management.

PNR data is collected by airlines and includes passengers’ personal information, passport numbers and credit card details. After 3 years personal identifying data will be marked out.

PNR data will be kept in the system for the purpose of preventing, detecting, investigating and prosecuting terrorist offences or serious transnational crime. 

Passenger Data transfer services are usually provided by a third party to the airline. Services such as AviSec Data Transfer by ARINC Direct ensure that data is transferred flawlessly and cost effectively for the airline. Failure on the part of the airline can result in fines of up to $5000, and so in these tough economic times quality services are essential.

ARINC processes 25 million messages each day – over 50% of the world’s operational Type B traffic, to a 3000 strong customer base.

ARINC said “airlines choosing AviSec can be confident that they are getting the highest possible performance at a wholly affordable price.”