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Manila Immigration Bureau Plan to Introduce APIS

August 8, 2014
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APIS Transmission ProvidersManila’s Bureau of Immigration (BI) is set to introduce APIS in a bid to exclude unwanted foreign visitors. The Advance Passenger Information System, mandatory for U.S. travellers, will be operational following government approval.

The BI commissioner, Mr Siegfred Mison said on Friday that ‘immigration authorities from countries where passengers originated will be required to submit names and personal circumstances of passengers boarding airlines and ships bound for the Philippines, allowing those with derogatory records to be segregated pending further security checks’.

The planned introduction of APIS is a part of preparations for two big events in Manila’s calendar, namely the visit of Pope Francis in January 2015 and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference (APEC) in November.

“As soon as the measure is approved we will bid it to interested parties the APIS scan data base which will receive and accept the information sent by the BI foreign counterparts,” said Mison.

Advance Passenger Information System Launch Planned in Dubai

July 3, 2014
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Find out more about Advance Passenger Information SystemFollowing a two-year trial, plans have now been announced for the formal launch of an Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA-Dubai). The scheme is pending final approval by the Ministry of the Interior, but should be in place by the end of this year or the beginning of 2015.

APIS helps airlines to process passenger informational data and will be a vital part of the border control system of the UAE and aims to reduce passenger checking times to just 20 seconds and thus streamlining the entire passenger processing system to allow for greater efficiency throughout the airport.

“Big organisations require a progressive and ambitious administrative philosophy. The one that is capable of coping with the challenges and at the same time add to its growth and development. GDRFA-Dubai, which deals with millions of people every month from all the segments, follows the same principle. Our cadres are our true treasures,” said GDRFA-Dubai Director-General, Major-General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri.

The Advance Passenger Information System is ready to be implemented at national level, once approved. Major-General Obaid Muhair bin Suroor, Deputy Director-General of GDRFA-Dubai, has revealed that the first phase of implementation will begin with Emirates Airlines, with their First and Business class passengers. All other airlines and economy class passengers will benefit from APIS during subsequent phases of implementation.

Philippines Implementation of APIS to Improve Passenger Travel

May 7, 2014
Business Aviation News
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Providers of secure, reliable APIS deliveryIn a bid to make the travel experience for passengers as smooth as possible, the Philippines will make the implementation of Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) next year. Carried out jointly with the Department of Justice, Department of Budget and Management Bureau of Immigration, the vital data concerning all passengers will be assessed between 120 hours to 15 minutes prior to departure.

Aside from the security aspects of reliable APIS, the Philippines have long been struggling with efficiencies on the ground, as flights tend to arrive quickly, in succession. The long ground delays have been a problem, causing chaos within terminals as passengers endure queues, hold-ups in baggage areas and a lack of trolleys.

Tourism Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez Jr. said, “The ideal travel experience is one without interruption. We want the entry of travellers into the Philippines to become as smooth and seamless as possible so we need an efficient tool such as an electronic API. This would avoid long queue in our airports, as we can already identify passengers who are ‘bad’ or ‘good.’ But, of course, we have to have a balance between border control/security with that of ease of entry into our airports.”

The benefits of APIS are clear to see and easy to implement. “All we have to do is to synchronize the system with that of the Philippines government. It will be up to the Philippines authorities to align their systems with the airline companies’ systems,” explained Roberto Lim, IATA Country Manager for the Philippines.

Streamlining passenger processes are just one of the advantages of APIS implementation. The ability to screen passengers in advance gives the authorities the opportunity to spot ‘at risk’ travellers and expedite ‘safe’ ones. Providers of APIS technology offer secure and reliable ways of APIS delivery across the world.

Mexico’s APIS Plans Forge Ahead with FltPlan.com

February 5, 2014
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Reliable and Secure APIS ProvidersIt has been announced that FltPlan.com, North America’s largest flight planning service provider, has been approved and selected to work with the Mexican government to implement their plans for the submission of Advanced Passenger Information.

Mexico’s National Institute of Immigration (INM) announced last month that, in order to improve its ability to process passengers more efficiently, it needed to employ APIS for the submission of the passenger data within 30 minutes of departure.

The Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) allows passenger information to be processed in the destination country before touchdown, which enhances border control, identifying high-risk passengers and expediting low-risk individuals.

The transmission of API is mandatory in the U.S. and is spreading across the globe in the fight against terrorism.

NBAA Update Advanced Passenger Information System with ARINC

January 13, 2014
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Leading Providers of Advanced Passenger Information SystemThe National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has responded to the new rules implemented by Mexico’s National Institute of Immigration for reporting of Advanced Passenger Information, saying their application to private flights arose, “primarily from a need for enhanced security measures in Mexico, as well as a desire for better accounting of taxes paid by arriving and departing passengers.”

The NBAA has also updated its own APIS (Advance Passenger Information System), developed in conjunction with ARINC, to comply with the legislation. Several third-party companies, amongst them Universal Weather & Aviation and FltPlan have stated that they are also able to help customers comply. The regulations require reporting to occur electronically within 30 minutes of departure if a flight will take more than an hour, whilst shorter flights must be reported after the doors have closed.

Mexico’s INM Call for Improved Times for APIS Delivery

January 13, 2014
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APIS Solutions for Mandatory Passenger Data TransferNew rules from Mexico’s National Institute of Immigration (INM) have prompted FltPlan to expand the capabilities of its current eAPIS system. FltPlan president Ken Wilson said the rules now require Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) manifests be submitted within 30 minutes of any aircraft closing its doors, and warned that breaching them could result in fines of up to $5,000.

Wilson reflected that FltPlan’s five-year plus experience in eAPIS systems and their early adoption of U.S. Customs and Border Protection certification for submission of passenger information made for a relatively easy transition when working with the Mexican government.

FltPlan, which recently exhibited at NBAA’s Schedulers & Dispatchers conference in New Orleans, said its aim was to provide a low-cost, specialist solution. Current annual subscription rates to its eAPIS system are $249, and the Mexico service an additional £200, with $20 per manifest ($40 for a round trip from the U.S. to Mexico).

Improvements to Aviation Security Called for by IATA

November 6, 2013
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Solutions for Improved Data Security in AirportsIATA has announced a call to action for the aviation industry, regulators and governments across the world to reform aviation security through a partnership with a focus on a globally harmonised system.

Tony Tyler, Director General and CEO of IATA, while speaking at the 22nd AVISEC World Conference, held in Istanbul, said “Aviation security stands at a crossroads. Global passenger numbers will be approaching four billion per year by 2017, and the aging systems and outdated procedures of the current security system will not be able to cope. We need to change from prescriptive one-size-fits-all measures and embrace performance-based regulation if the economic benefits of aviation growth are not to be curtailed by security inefficiency.”

The move comes in direct support of the swift delivery of advance passenger information (API) to enable government departments and border security to screen passengers before they arrive on the ground at their destination.  High risk passengers can be identified and prevented from boarding the initial flight, or stopped from entering the destination country.

More than 45 states already operate API or PNR programs.  It is critical for the swift delivery of such information that the entire system is harmonised in line with ICAO regulation.  The issue of cost of collection of the vital information has yet to be finalised.

Mr Tyler went on to say, “Governments and industry can work together to make better use of the data collected. A good example is the checkpoint of the future initiative, which aims to improve the security and convenience of passenger screening by moving to a risk-based approach and adopting advanced technology. The flying public is eager to see the checkpoint of future deployed as quickly as possible. Stakeholders are aligned behind a staged implementation that will see the first versions in 2014. Subsequent stages will see us move from re-purposing equipment and using data more thoughtfully to the eventual deployment of new equipment in the final stage, around 2020.”

Dubai to Implement Advanced Passenger Information System for Visa Eligibility

October 24, 2013
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Advanced Passenger Information System in DubaiA federal project is expected to be implemented in Dubai to deal with Visa eligibility with the Advanced Passenger Information System initiative before passengers arrive in the UAE.

Col. Khalid Nasser Al Razouqi, Assistant Director-General for e-Services Sector at the Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai said, “It (the advance passenger information system) shall rather importantly help the residency and immigration authorities concerned decide accurately if a passenger is banned from entering the country or not.”

The advanced passenger information system (APIS) will enable the directorate to collect passenger data and check visa eligibility before the aircraft touches down in the country. “Of course, we shall not prohibit anyone from entering the country. Rather, we shall disallow already banned people as registered in the systems of the country,” he continued.

The system will also identify prohibited passengers and enable advance cancellation of travel from the source of the flight for those passengers.  The APIS initiative will help to streamline ground operations for the airports, who expect to see more than 98 million passengers by 2020 and is welcomed in the UAE, who announced earlier this year that over 351,000 banned expats were denied access into the UAE since 2003, many in possession of fake credentials and associated paperwork.

ARINC AviNet Mail Chosen by More Than 1,000 Users in the First Half of 2013

August 28, 2013
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ARINC’s AviNet Mail was selected by more than 1,000 users during the first half of 2013; it was recently announced, lending weight to the claim that the aviation messaging solution is indeed industry-leading!

AviNet Mail and ARINC’s AviSec solutions reliably and securely deliver more than 30 million messages per day to over 30,000 users, figures that represent half the world’s critical type b messaging. ARINC’s cost-effective solution enables Type b and SMS messaging over a secure network and is used daily by airlines, airports, ground handling operations, caterers and dispatch operators, to name but a few…

One of the features of the system is that the AviNet Mail service can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection and is operated upon a highly secure, private network.  Sensitive data can be reliably transmitted via a single user interface, enabling the low-cost transmission of passenger data, including advanced passenger information and PNR in addition to all other critical messaging.

“AviNet Mail is the industry’s leading platform because it enables customers to maximize operational efficiency and, ultimately, reduce Type B messaging costs,” said Laura Birt, Sales Director, Aviation Solutions at ARINC EMEA. “We are seeing this continuous rise in adoption and use because AviNet Mail is a highly reliable solution that ensures critical messages are communicated quickly and efficiently—and in line with our customers’ budgets.”

ARINC continue to provide innovative solutions for the aviation industry, staying ahead of the game in this ever-expanding sector.

BAOA Suggest APIS to Combat Security Concerns in India

July 31, 2013
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It has been suggested by BAOA that to implementation of APIS could help to alleviate the security concerns raised in India.

Due to these heightened security concerns, the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs has blocked temporary landing permits (TLPs) for the crews of foreign business jets of non-scheduled operators (NSOPs).  They will now require mandatory employment visa’s from them to work upon flights within the country after arrival and the possibility of advance passenger information system (APIS).

The movement has placed severe restrictions upon business aviation within India and may be as much as 60% of the entire movement of 24,000 general aviation aircraft on a monthly basis recorded last year that will be affected by the regulatory changes.

Previous TLP’s were issued through the Bureau of Immigration for up to 72 hours for NSOPs foreign registered aircraft flight crew.

Mr Rajesh Bali, Secretary of the Business Aircraft Operators Association (BAOA) is concerned that business and tourism industries will be hit by the changes and recommended to the Government that they mandate APIS for NSOPs which will enable the MHA to ‘Scrutinise personally any passenger or crew flying in on business jets, as it happens in the case of scheduled airlines.’

APIS is currently mandatory for US flights, both national and international and gives the DHS the opportunity to highlight possible high risk passengers and crew before the flight even touches down.

While the issue of TLPs is suspended, airports in major destinations, such as Delhi and Mumbai are losing vital revenue in fees from business aviation.

The BAOA has suggested that if MHA will move to implement a system where crew would be issued a 3-5 year visa as is the regulation in the US, that it continue to issue TLPs until a permanent decision can be made.

Digital APIS offers reliable and secure delivery of Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Records, including that of the aircraft crew.  APIS solutions are offered by business aviation communications providers for border security.