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Chicago Airports New Head Promises Action on Issue of Noise

July 25, 2015
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Visit the O'Hare Airport WebiteGinger Evans, the recently appointed Aviation Commissioner of Chicago airports, has said that she will ensure that all solutions will be investigated and presented by the beginning of August to address the problem of noise from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

Meeting with city officials and community groups, she announced that her staff ‘has developed 12 to 15 options’ for possible implementations that could address the issue. This meeting was the second of three proposed sessions for the negotiation of this issue that has been going on for decades.

She did not offer any details about the proposed measures, and insisted that her top priorities remain firmly in the conduct of safe and efficient flight operations.

DHS Discuss the Importance of Sharing Data

July 22, 2015
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Providers of Systems for Sharing Data | Advance Passenger Information Systems (APIS)In a recent article, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have reinforced their opinion that sharing data throughout the world is critically important to track and monitor the movements of potential threats, particularly in the environment of international air travel.

Since 9/11 the issue of aviation security has been high on the agenda for the U.S. and for many of its international partners. Recently, with the spread of threat against the west from militant groups such as the Islamic State organisation, security forces all over the world are stepping up security measures in a bid to control or at least monitor the movement of its members and those who are leaving their home countries to join these terrorist groups.

To mitigate such risks to national and international security, given that the number of air travellers consistently rises by an average of 5% every year, DHS maintain that sharing data is the strongest way to monitor passengers. The introduction of Advance Passenger Information (API), a system that is fast-spreading throughout the world, gives agencies and governments the opportunity to analyse passenger data before aircraft leave the ground for their destination country on a domestic and an international scale.

DHS believes that the coordination of sharing data is as important as the collection of API. Sharing must be seamless, between airports and authorities, governments and agencies and between countries. Only then can the process of sharing data be effective.

Cayman Islands Passenger Information Screening has Security Issues

June 8, 2015
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Industry Leading Providers of APIS | Business Aviation NewsDelays caused by manual screening of passenger information in the Cayman Islands has led to a series of talks regarding the use of Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) to handle sensitive information.

Current Chief Immigration Officer for Cayman, Bruce Smith indicated that ‘technical tests’ were conducted to ensure a consistency of information was transmitted and it ‘didn’t work out’.

Cayman Airways were supposed to be the first to implement APIS, to ensure passengers leaving the region were authorised to do so, and not on any ‘watch lists’, but the airline has not had all destinations included in the passenger screening program.

Until an APIS system can be enforced, manual screening is the only way to ensure security checks are made.

GCAA Predict UAE as World’s Busiest Airspace

May 12, 2015
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Advance Passenger Information to Assist Global Aviation Security - APIS ProvidersAt the Global Airport Leaders Forum in Dubai last week, the UAE Minister of Economy and Commerce and GCAA Chairman HE Eng. Sultan Al Mansoori predicted that the UAE will have one of the busiest airspaces in the world within the next 15 years.

Commenting on this suspected growth, the Minister said that major technology investments will be required to ‘keep up with the new challenges’.

He also reiterated that the introduction of Advance Passenger Information earlier this year, with operations based in the Abu Dhabi dedicated Centre for API, was a ‘model to maintaining border security’.

The requirement of API is increasing around the globe and is a step in the right direction to track the movement of high-risk travellers and expediting low-risk passengers.

Rockwell Collins’ ARINC Border Management Solution in Vietnam

April 16, 2015
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Advance Passenger Information (API) Solution from Rockwell Collins' ARINCAs Vietnam joins the fast-spreading enhancement in border security with the implementation of Advance Passenger Information (API) data transfer, the implementation of Rockwell Collins’ ARINC Border Management solution has already resulted in a 90% improvement of passenger processing times and 80% increase in the quality of information, which was previously handled manually.

The ARINC BMS has been implemented at all Vietnam’s international airports and provides system monitoring and analysis of API data, allowing the border authorities to screen vital passenger data before the aircraft lands, thus maximising efficient operations and increasing security. Currently 41 airlines are using the system, which is designed to flag passenger data that falls outside the pre-defined parameters.

The Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam issued Decree 27 in spring 2011 to request API data from passengers and crew of all airline traffic, both commercial and private, to come into line with IATA standards. According to IATA data, Vietnam’s passenger flow increased by 96% between 2008 and 2013, and this increase let to the investment in the new system implementation.

European API Data Sharing Debate Continues

March 2, 2015
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Using API Providers for Secure Flight Passenger Data SharingA new proposal put to Brussels this week has sparked controversy once again with advocates of privacy in the EU. Following the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris and the Brussels Jewish Museum shootings last year, the European security services have stepped up measures to detect travellers joining or returning from war in Syria and Iraq and feel that sharing airline passenger data, via Passenger Name Records (PNR) or a system similar to that in place between Europe and the U.S. in the form of Advance Passenger Information (API) would be a step closer to helping to achieve their goal.

Access to personal information across the EU by the intelligence services remains in fierce debate, particularly in countries such as Germany, who were outraged over the accusations of mass surveillance by U.S. intelligence agencies after the attacks of 9/11.

Jan Albreicht, German member of the European Parliament said, “We need to deliver whatever is necessary and proportionate to get a higher level of security. But what you are proposing now, the proposal of blanket mass surveillance of citizens, is exactly the opposite of that. It’s not delivering that.”

Anti-terror measures have become a security priority for the EU and passenger data sharing is at the top of the list in terms of monitoring the movements of suspected high-risk travellers.

Timothy Kirkhope, British member of the European Parliament said, “We need now to make sure we have enough information to look at patterns of behaviour. That is the basis on which we can find criminals and find terrorists in order to protect our citizens. Stop things happening such as the atrocities in Paris recently.”

Part Two of Canada’s Proposed Secure Air Travel Act

February 11, 2015
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API for Border Security in CanadaCanada is forging ahead in a bid to increase the safety of airline passengers, aircraft and crew. Bill C-51, known as Canada’s Anti-terrorism Act, 2015, is to be tackled in two parts:

  • Security of Canada Information Sharing Act
  • Secure Air Travel Act

If passed, the current Passenger Protection Program would be enhanced with greater transparency for the sharing of passenger data in a similar system to that used in the U.S. in the transmission of Advance Passenger Information (API). API transmission before a flight leaves for its destination, can allow government agencies to scan passenger data and achieve early alert when comparison is made to a ‘do-not-fly’ list or similarly, a list containing the names of potential terrorists, members of high-risk political or radical groups – a ‘Persons of Interest’ list.

Opposers of the scheme argue that concerns should be raised when information sharing is discussed. It is by no means decided at this stage the grounds on which a person will be placed upon such lists and the government of Canada propose to lower the threshold and expand the grounds on which a person becomes ‘specified’ under the Passenger Protection Program.

The debate continues.

eAPIS Requirements for Canadian Borders – Survey

February 5, 2015
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Leading Global Providers of eAPIS SolutionsCanada’s Border Services Agency is working towards a U.S.-style Electronic Advance Passenger Information System (eAPIS) to protect its borders and is hoping for complete implementation by spring 2016.

A survey has been created by the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) to assess how the new requirements will impact Canadian and U.S. pilots crossing the borders in a bid to make the transition as seamless as possible.

“This survey will provide statistical feedback to Canadian and US officials to find a solution that both addresses their goals and minimizes duplication,” said COPA Vice President of Operations Patrick Gilligan. “COPA is heavily involved in finding creative solutions to minimize the detrimental consequences that any additional requirements will have on our sector of aviation.”

The survey, which can be completed anonymously if required, will aim to assess the general ‘feeling’ of pilots conducting cross-border leisure and personal flights – whether they think that the implementation of a system will impact flight operations in a detrimental way.

The survey will also attempt to gain a general consensus about the introduction of a single portal for the transmission of pilot and passenger data to the Canadian Border Services Agency.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) are working with COPA to ensure that the implementation of an eAPIS mandate remains seamless.

“We’re really working to find a way to make this as transparent as possible,” said Tom Zecha, AOPA manager of aviation security. “We encourage AOPA members who cross the border—or even those who don’t but think they might someday—to complete the survey to convey the impact a duplicate system would have on cross-border operations.”

Biometric eBorders Technology for Emirates Airports

February 3, 2015
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Biometric eBorders Solutions ProvidersLast week saw a deal signed with French biometric security firm, Morpho (Safran) and the UAE for a range of biometric eBorders technology solutions to be installed in the Emirates’ biggest international airports.

The first installations will take place at Abu Dhabi airport this year, followed by four other airports to create a fully integrated multi-biometric border control system across the UAE.

There will be 96 e-Gates and 94 e-Counters, which will help to expedite passenger processing with the inclusion of touchless fingerprinting, iris and facial recognition systems.

Biometric eBorders technology is a fast-paced industry, embracing enhancements and developing more efficient and effective ways to manage a growing passenger throughput. The need for solutions to manage international borders efficiently, yet maintain security is critical. As threats to national security increase all over the world, the pressure upon governments and border security agencies also intensifies.

Governments and agencies must be able to screen passenger information swiftly and data such as Advance Passenger Information must be transmitted securely. eBorders systems are able to handle critical aviation messaging in addition to the physical screening of passengers in airports.

Biometric eBorders solutions could be the answer to streamlining the entire border management system and must eventually be integrated on a global scale.

Immigration Pre-Clearance for Passengers Bound for U.S. from Abu Dhabi

January 13, 2015
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API Helps to Maintain Security While Expediting Passenger Processing - Find out more...UAE passengers bound for the U.S. will be able to enjoy immigration pre-clearance from this week, avoiding queues on arrival by undertaking immigration, customs and agriculture inspections at terminal three of Abu Dhabi airport where U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) facilities are in place.

Conditional requirements will be the provision of Advance Passenger Information and an individual, machine-readable passport. In addition, passengers must also produce a return or onward ticket for departure from the U.S. within a 90-day window of departure.

For passengers of Etihad Airways flying to New York JFK, Chicago, Washington, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Dallas, the service will be available from January 15. The facility is currently available in six other countries and 15 airports outside North America.