After the diversion of flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv on 30 September, Israel has said it plans to increase security checks on pilots flying into the country. Exactly what those checks will involve has not yet been published.
“Every pilot that is going to be flying into Israel, we are going to know the pilots’ identities, know who they are, and do some type of security check,” said Doron Spielman, spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.
Crew data is already part of border reporting
Most discussion of Advance Passenger Information (API) focuses on passengers, but many programmes already cover crew. The US Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), for example, requires electronic manifest information for both passengers and crew.
Airlines flying to Israel may find that pilot identity becomes part of an existing data flow, or part of a separate security process. Until Israel publishes its guidance, nobody knows which.
The hard case is a late crew change
Crews change, often close to departure, because of illness, disruption, positioning or duty-time limits. If pilot identity becomes part of pre-arrival screening, a late swap stops being just a rostering matter. It becomes a new submission that has to reach the right authority, and potentially be cleared, before the aircraft can leave.
That is where an apparently simple requirement gets difficult, and it’s the part airlines should plan for.
If you are using PNRGOV you can this is simple process.
What to watch for
When Israel publishes its requirements, the practical questions are:
What pilot or crew data is required?
How far before departure must it be sent, and to which system?
Will airlines receive a clearance or response before departure?
How will late crew changes be handled?
PNRGOV routes passenger and crew data between airline systems and government authorities, so airlines can adapt to new reporting requirements without rebuilding their own systems.
We’ll update this article when Israel publishes further details.
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