IATA calls for Gabon to suspend $30 per passenger API/PNR fee, citing high cost and lack of consultation
The International Air Transport Association IATA has urged Gabon to suspend a new $30 per passenger fee for the Advance Passenger Information API and Passenger Name Record PNR system. In an August 6 letter to Transport Minister Ulrich Manfoumbi Manfoumbi, IATA stated that this charge, equivalent to approximately 17,000 FCFA, is "among the highest in the world." The organization expressed concern that the fee was introduced without prior consultation with airlines and before the system is fully operational. IATA supports the API/PNR systems for border security and combating transnational crime but objects to Gabon's financing method. It argues that the measure deviates from International Civil Aviation Organization ICAO principles regarding consultation, transparency, cost-relatedness, and non-discrimination. IATA also highlighted that passengers should only be charged for services already provided and fears the fee could negatively impact air travel demand, connectivity, and the economic benefits of the aviation sector in Gabon. The organization called for formal and transparent consultations with airlines, exploration of alternative funding, and a suspension of the fee to mitigate its impact. IATA also requested a realistic timeline for implementation, noting that airlines typically need three to six months to adapt their systems after regulatory and technical specifications are provided.
