Why Govt asked airlines to share international passenger data with Customs?

The government has asked airlines to share all international passenger details, including contact and payment information, with customs authorities 24 hours before flights depart.

The measure is aimed at preventing lawbreakers from leaving the country.

According to the recently notified Passenger Name Record Information Regulations 2022, all international airlines are mandated to share details of all international passengers with the customs department.

According to the notification, which came into force on August 8, details regarding the prevention and prosecution of offenses under the Customs Law must be shared.

The data must be shared at least 24 hours before departure and in case the airlines fail to do so, the customs department can impose a minimum fine of Rs 25,000, which can go up to Rs 50,000 for each act of non-compliance. .

According to the decision made by the CBIC on Monday, all airlines are now required to provide passenger name record (PNR) details to Customs' National Passenger Identification Center (NCTC-P) no later than 24 hours before departure. the departure time of a flight. .

The government also said that this is being done with the aim of preventing, detecting, investigating and prosecuting crimes under the Customs Law.

In addition to customs authorities, Indian government law enforcement agencies and even government departments in other countries may also have access to the data on a "case by case" basis. Access will be subject to maintaining the same level of protection, privacy and guarantees of the information, provided that the agencies specify the purpose of the information sought.

The PNR information will include details such as the date of the reservation, benefit information such as free tickets and flight class upgrades, and a ticket issue, as well as frequent flyer.

The details will also contain payment or billing information, travel itinerary, and the travel agency.

Therefore, India will now join a list of 50 countries that collect PNR details of international passengers.

The National Passenger Customs Focus Center will collect the information shared by the airlines. The CBIC database will perform a passenger risk analysis based on the data. The CBIC may also share the data with other law enforcement agencies, government departments in India and any other country.

According to information provided by the government in Parliament, a total of 38 economic criminals, including Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya and Mehul Choksi, have fled the country in the last five years. Industrialist and former MP Vijay Mallya left the country on March 2, 2016, the day a handful of public sector banks moved to the Debt Recovery Court to recover Rs 9,000 crore of unpaid dues to his now-defunct Kingfisher Airline.

Mehul Choksi, one of the main defendants in the alleged PNB loan fraud case of over Rs 13,000 crore, also fled to Antigua and Barbuda just as ED and CBI zeroed in on him.

"All aircraft operators must transfer passenger name record information no later than 24 hours before departure time; or at departure time, without wheels," the regulation says, adding that the information will be will retain in customs systems for up to five years.

He further said that for each act of non-compliance with these regulations, aircraft operators would have to pay a fine of a minimum of Rs 25,000 and a maximum of Rs 50,000.

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