AVSEC World 2008
This year’s IATA/ACI/ECAC AVSEC World Conference, taking place in Seoul, from 11-13 November is attracting much interest from delegates and exhibitors alike. Do not miss this event, hosted by Korean Air and Incheon International Airport! In its 17th year, AVSEC World remains the premier aviation security event.
ESTA Alert
Beginning 12 January 2009 passengers travelling to the USA will need to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA/ESTA) from the Department of Homeland Security before leaving on their journey.
Without authorisation, by mid-to-late 2009, airlines will not be allowed to board these passengers.
What do airlines do with the inevitable passengers who arrive at the ticket counter without an ETA/ESTA? As for the Australian ETA programme, the airline applies for an authorisation for the passenger at check in through a system provided by the Australian Government. Currently, 15% of passengers bound for Australia fall into this category. Unfortunately, with the US ESTA programme, DHS is not offering a similar mechanism for passengers bound for the USA.
IATA continues to bring this problem to the attention of the White House and the Department of Homeland Security. Over the past several months, through a series of IATA organised stakeholder technical sessions, we are beginning to see the US Government seemingly acknowledge the need to address this passenger facilitation problem.
However, there is currently no funding for a Government solution, nor any solution proposed that would not require another major systems change for the carriers.
An added obstacle is the need to collect sensitive data for an ESTA application - something that the industry does not wish to do, even if a technical solution is possible.
For now, ESTA is an airline security issue: passengers unhappy with this new US requirement will be in our ticketing lines. ESTA is a facilitation issue: passenger will need to be advised how to obtain an ESTA through the reservation or ticketing processes. Finally, ESTA is an uncoordinated mess that does not align with the myriad of other US Government passenger data programmes.