Aircraft operators to share info on int'l travellers with NCTC

New Delhi, Aug 9 Aircraft operators will have to share travel-related information about passengers who are going to travel in and out of India at least 24 hours before their flight departure time. The information will be shared with the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC)-established agency, National Customs Targeting Centre-Passenger (NCTC-P) for conducting "risk analysis of passengers".

The CBIC (Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Custom), which comes under the Union Finance Ministry, issued a gazette notification in this regard on Monday titled 'Passenger Name Record Information Regulations, 2022'.

Every aircraft operator is now required to register and provide passenger details in a prescribed format to NCTC-P "not later than twenty four hours before the departure time; or at the departure time - wheels off," said the notification.

As per the gazette notification, it is for prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of offences under the Act. It is also for law enforcement agencies and government departments, as required, in India and abroad.

This passenger name record information will include details like PNR; date of reservation and issue of ticket; available frequent flyer and benefit information (like free tickets, upgrades); all available payment/billing information (like credit card number); travel itinerary for specific PNR; travel agency/travel agent, said the notification.

The notification further said that the passenger details will also include "split/divided information (when one PNR contains a reference to another PNR); ticketing information, including ticket number, one-way tickets; baggage information; seat number; any collected advance passenger information that is initially captured by an air carrier within its PNR, such as passport number, date of birth and gender) and all historical changes to the PNR."

"NCTC-P to receive and process passenger name record information along with any other information relevant for risk analysis of passengers for the purpose of - (a) prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of offences under the Act and the rules and regulations made there under, or (b) law enforcement agencies or government departments of India or any other country may specify for the purposes of regulation 10," the notification added.