African Airlines Oppose Charges for Security Systems

African airlines and their industry representatives, including the African Airlines Association, Airlines Association of Southern Africa, and International Air Transport Association, have rejected proposals to impose charges on airlines and passengers for government-run Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems. In a joint statement signed by AFRAA Secretary-General Abdérahmane Berthé, AASA CEO Aaron Munetsi, and IATA Regional Vice President Kamil Alawadhi, they emphasized that border security is a government responsibility and should be funded by governments.

The associations support the implementation of API and PNR systems, which enhance border controls and law enforcement, but warn that additional charges could increase air travel costs, weaken connectivity, and threaten economic benefits from aviation. They called for clear legal frameworks and adherence to International Civil Aviation Organization standards before deploying these systems, stressing principles of legality, proportionality, purpose limitation, and consistency and accuracy in data handling.