Estonia Advance Passenger Information

Travelling by using air transport has increased during the last few decades and nowadays it is a widespread mode of travel. In parallel to vacation and business trips the air transport is used for the purposes that endanger public order and security including drug trafficking, human trafficking, and terrorism. Therefore, free movement of persons creates more possibilities for the cross border criminal actions endangering the principle of free movement itself. In combating crime it is important to find the most effective solutions to discover the actions that threaten public order and security and that do not interfere with the fundamental human rights. In order to ensure public order and security Estonia, among several other countries, begins to collect and analyse passenger booking and check-in information.

Starting 1.01.2016 all Air carriers (also referred as air operators) operating passenger flights to and from Estonia, have the obligation to deliver to the Estonian API-PNR System BRIIS (referred to also in the following as “the API-PNR System” or “the System”) in asynchronous “push” mode, passenger booking and check-in information, (referred to also in the following respectively as “PNR” Passenger Name Record and “API PAX” Advanced Passenger Information) as well as crew information (referred to as “API CREW”).

“Air carrier” means an air transport undertaking with a valid operating licence or equivalent permitting it to carry out carriage by air of passengers.

Data in the Estonian API-PNR System BRIIS are processed by law enforcement and security authorities according to their jurisdiction.