Advance Passenger Information (API) - Flight Only / Airline and Airports, Holiday Forums

Advance Passenger Information (API)

David

2007-05-22 09:24:29

Introduction of Advance Passenger Information (API) as from 13 June 2007

As from Wednesday 13 June 2007, all passengers flying from the UK & Ireland to Spain will need to comply with a new Advance Passenger Information system which is being introduced by the Spanish government. This API system involves supplying your full name, nationality, date of birth and passport number before travel. If this information is not supplied to your airline or tour operator in advance, it will have to be collected manually by check-in staff on the day of travel. Airlines face fines up to £40,000 per passenger if API information is not properly collected and processed. Warnings are being given that passengers could face delays at check-in while the information is collected, that they could be denied boarding if they refuse to provide it, and that they could face immigration problems in Spain if there are any irregularities.

There is already a lot of media speculation and scaremongering about massive flight delays and a summer of holiday chaos, etc as a result of API measures. But as long as passengers are prepared to supply the information and adhere to minimum check-in times, that speculation should hopefully prove unfounded.

Some airlines and tour operators have made adjustments to their websites and are now asking for the information at the time of booking, or are allowing passengers to update existing bookings before the day of travel. But those without that technology in place will need to collect the information manually at the airport.

If you are already booked to fly to Spain from 13 June onwards, it may be worth checking with your airline or tour operator to see if any facilities are in place to collect this information before travel.

Spain is the first country in Europe to implement this API system, but it will be introduced in other nations during the next 12 months as part of enhanced security and anti-terrorism measures.

David

Edited by David 2007-09-17 21:57:14

sambache3592

2007-05-22 17:28:01

So i am flying out 25th May so I will miss all this yer?

digby

2007-05-22 19:44:48

Guess when we are due to fly to Fuerteventura? 13th June. Just our luck. However , it will be all part of the excitement on the day

blueblazer

2007-05-22 20:06:18

As from Wednesday 13 June 2007, all British passengers flying to Spain will need to comply with a new Advance Passenger Information system which is being introduced by the Spanish government. This API system involves supplying your full name, nationality, date of birth and passport number before travel.

Is this only on the outward journey?

We are scheduled to fly back from Palma on the 16th of June.

Dawnie-Rob

2007-05-23 10:46:46

Hi all
I too was wondering about the return journey. We fly out on the 9th June and come back on the 16th. Will they want information for this?

Dawnie-Rob

Judith

2007-05-23 12:10:34

Spain is requesting the info not the Uk so unless the British government
change their rules you should be OK.

Edited by Judith 2007-05-23 20:46:25

Sanji

2007-05-23 12:37:04

I'm flying out on the 8th June and therefore I'm presuming as the law does not come into force until the 13th June, then it won't apply to me.
It's Spain that's wanting the info, not the UK.

Advanced Passenger Information has been a legal requirement for quite some time, it officially becomes active on the 13th June, Spain now wants this information before the plane leaves the UK, whereas before, the information would be sent while we are in transit.
Ever wondered why sometimes there is no one on passport control at the other end.? Quite simply because they (Spanish) know the passports have been checked 3 times before you are allowed to board a plane and the information about who is on a plane, has already been sent to them.

The reason why the Spanish have introduced these measures is because the UK is not part of the Schengen treaty, which allows free movement within the EU member states.
It is aimed at increasing security and curbing illegal immigration/migration from the other countries who are also not part of the treaty, some of them are third world countries and breeding grounds for terrorists.
We (UK) now fall into the same pot by not being part of the Schengen treaty and dare I say having terrorists.
Don't worry about it, you're telling them nothing that they don't already know or wouldn't have been told..... they just want to know earlier so if there is anybody "dodgy" on the plane, then they can say we don't want him/her here before the plane departs....rather than having to deal with it in Spain.

Sanjiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Edited by Sanji 2007-05-23 15:11:17

Dawnie-Rob

2007-05-23 13:18:28

hi there,
Thanks for the info.

The thing is Spain have terroism too don't they?

Dawnie-Rob

debdon

2007-05-23 13:34:40

Thank you Sanji for such clear info, I understand what it's all about now. I did read it in the paper, but couldn't understand why it was. Thanks again.

Sanji

2007-05-23 13:41:59

The thing is Spain have terroism too don't they?

Yes they do, but I guess if you can try and stop it coming in, then you have more resources to fight the "home grown" within, but it's not just about security, Spain has been swamped with migration lately.
You also have to remember than not all countries are as strict as the UK regarding security checks of the passport etc.

Sanjiiiiiiiii

cyberspacekadette

2007-05-23 15:41:30

This API system involves supplying your full name, nationality, date of birth and passport number before travel. If this information is not supplied to your airline or tour operator in advance, it will have to be collected manually by check-in staff on the day of travel.

All this information is already on your passport anyway, although I suppose if the check-in staff have to enter data on a computer for every paasenger then things may take a little longer.
We fly to Ibiza with Thomson on 8 Aug - should I expect a letter from them or will I have to contact them myself with this information?

David

2007-05-23 18:00:54

All this information is already on your passport anyway, although I suppose if the check-in staff have to enter data on a computer for every paasenger then things may take a little longer.
We fly to Ibiza with Thomson on 8 Aug - should I expect a letter from them or will I have to contact them myself with this information?

Yes, the required information is all available on the passport. But up until now, passports were only checked at UK airports, no information was routinely recorded from them and passed on to Spanish authorities, as will be required from 13 June. Not all airlines and tour operators have been able to update technology to allow either scanning or the manual input of information on their computers, which means they will need to write down the relevant details. Whether writing on a piece of paper or typing into a computer, it is going to be a time consuming process at check-in and so it would be better if passengers liaise with their airlines or tour operators to see if facilities are in place to collect the information in advance. If you don't receive any letter, it would be best to keep checking their website or give them a ring.

David :wave

cyberspacekadette

2007-05-23 18:51:37

If you don't receive any letter, it would be best to keep checking their website or give them a ring.

I'm due to pay the final balance in the next couple of weeks, so I'll ask about it then, although we always arrive at the airport really early anyway.

Sanji

2007-05-23 19:23:27

Yes, the required information is all available on the passport. But up until now, passports were only checked at UK airports, no information was routinely recorded from them and passed on to Spanish authorities, as will be required from 13 June

Hi David.

According to BA, the law is already in force and they have been required to collect this information and some governments require airlines to provide them with direct access to airline passenger bookings (PNRs) which may contain other passenger data.

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/ba6.jsp/imminfo/public/en_gb#spain

Sanjiiiiiiii

David

2007-05-23 20:01:39

Hi Sanji .. that page of the BA site is certainly very misleading, because although the legislation was announced by Spain in February, the API system only becomes effective on 13 June. On a separate page of the BA site (click here) they say that they plan to comply with API requirements from that date. I am assuming that the page you link to has been updated to reflect the new legislation, but by using the same standard wording as applies to other countries, they give the impression that it is already in force. BA has only just started collecting API from Spain-bound passengers via the 'Manage my Booking' page on its website and so from that point of view I suppose it is in force, but for departures from 13 June onwards.

One of those governments requiring more information about passengers under the terms of its existing API system is of course the USA, which asks for 34 individual pieces of information.

David :wave

Sanji

2007-05-23 22:35:08

Hi David.
Very misleading indeed by using the words "already in force" rather than in force from 13th June.
I was always lead to believe that info was passed between the 2 countries and the airline or TO supplied this info, whether that was in accordance with some private negotiation or what, I don't know, the European Union guarantees the free movement of data while protecting individuals against any violation of their privacy and that includes buying an airline ticket.
But one thing I will say, if Spain is so bothered about who is coming in from the UK onboard aircraft used by the TO's then someone had better tell them to get their backsides into gear and get someone on passport control because their security is a joke with a capital J.
I truthfully cannot remember the last time I had my passport checked or saw anyone stationed on passport control and if you regard a hand gesture to "move along" as a security check for personnel arriving from a non- Schengen country, then they are very lax to say the least and had better wake up and smell the coffee because they are supposed to check passports when you go from non-Schengen space into one that has signed up to the treaty.
Anyway, this is irrelevant"¦I'm just waffling on. :oops:

Sanjiiiiiiiiiiii

David

2007-05-23 22:51:02

Hi Sanji ... prior to the introduction of API, neither the airline nor the tour operator would have this information to pass on to Spain. Passport details are not routinely recorded at the time of booking. At check-in, passports are only checked for validity, and to ensure that the name matches the booking and that the photo matches the passenger. No passport details are actually recorded. At subsequent passport checks before boarding, the name is matched against the name on the boarding card and the photo is matched against the passenger. But again no passport details are recorded. So the introduction of API will be the first time that these details are being formally requested, with the onus being on airlines and tour operators to collect and process the information properly. But as for BA, it is possible their justification for the 'already in force' wording is the fact that they are now actively collecting the information from passengers travelling from 13 June onwards.

David :wave

bonnielass

2007-05-24 10:43:51

Hi I have never been abroad before so I dont really know the procedure. I have one of those new passports. so could some one tell me if I need to show anything else (Birth lines or anything). Sorry if this question sounds daft but dont know what to do really. I am flying out on the 31st of July