Australia’s Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) has put in place measures to run automated checks on all passengers departing the country.
The Outward Advance Passenger Processing (APP) program will be supported by SITA’s iBorders system, which provides real-time integration between airline systems and DIBP’s border management systems.
Outward APP, which provides interactive advanced passenger information, was put in place following legislation enacted by the Australian government to help improve Australia’s border integrity and national security.
As part of these measures, airlines are required to provide data for all travelers departing Australia in advance of their flight. The airline transmits each passenger’s data to DIBP during check-in, receiving in response a ‘board’/’no board’ message in real time. A total of 47 airlines are now fully certified and are running around two million transactions a month through the Outward APP program.
John Gibbon, assistant secretary Traveller Branch at DIBP, said, “Outward APP delivers a faster and more seamless experience for travelers, while meeting our business needs to manage threats and ensure the integrity of Australia’s border.”
Ilya Gutlin, SITA President, Asia Pacific, said, “Australia has long been recognized as a leader and innovator in the area of border management. This sophisticated Outward APP program builds on the existing solutions that SITA has been providing to DIBP since 2000, when the country geared up for the influx of arrivals for the Olympic Games. Working in sync with the airlines, Australia now runs advanced, automatic checks on every passenger arriving or departing the country, making the journey smoother for authorized travelers while addressing issues with persons of interest.”