Airlines to mandatorily share international passenger data with Customs from April 1

Airlines will have to mandatorily share details of foreign travellers with the Indian Customs authorities from April 1, 2025, and non-compliance can attract penalties.

All air transport service providers operating flights to/from India will have to register with the National Customs Targeting Centre-Passenger (NCTC-Pax) by January 10, 2025, in order to comply with the requirement, according to a communication issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

Details ranging from mobile number, and payment mode to travel itinerary need to be shared with the authorities 24 hours before the departure of an international flight.

On August 8, 2022, the CBIC notified the 'Passenger Name Record Information Regulations, 2022' under which airlines were required to share passenger name record (PNR) details of foreign travellers with the Customs department.

This system is intended to enhance interdiction capabilities of authorities as well as risk analysis of passengers.

In case an airline fails to share the data, the Customs department can impose a fine ranging from Rs 25,000-50,000 for every act of non-compliance, as per the regulations.

The CBIC, in the communication issued last week, said the system to implement the regulation is being developed by NCTC-Pax and the latter's phased rollout is envisaged from January 2025.

The Customs department also said that the PNRGOV system -- to collect requisite passenger information -- will be implemented on a pilot basis with some airlines who have expressed willingness to participate.

"The pilot phase is scheduled to be implemented by February 10, 2025. Thereafter, full scale operation is planned from April 1, 2025, for individual airlines and from June 1, 2025, for airlines intending to operate through GDS (global distribution system)," the CBIC said.

As per the 'Passenger Name Record Information Regulations, 2022', airlines will have to share data of all international passengers with Customs authorities 24 hours before the departure of the flight.

The information to be shared by airline companies for both inbound and outbound international flights include the name of the passenger, billing/payment information (credit card number), date of issue of ticket as well as intended travel, and names of other travellers in the same PNR, travel itinerary for the PNR.

Besides, contact details like email ID, mobile number, details of travel agency, baggage information and code share information (when one airline sells seats on another air carrier's flight) have to be shared.