The system will be helpful for all air carriers and border security agencies to assist passengers, as it is being used in most airports Kathmandu, January 15 The country’s sole international airport plans to introduce advanced technology-based new information systems to reduce inconvenience and delays that the air passengers have been facing for long. The move follows a month-long onsite inspection from the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, which had deputed a high-level team of inspectors to closely monitor the present status of airport functioning. Devananda Upadhyaya, general manager at Tribhuvan International Airport, said the airport authority was planning to launch an Advanced Passenger Information System that would assist in accommodating the growth in passenger traffic through the use of advanced technology. “APIS captures a passenger’s biographic data and other flight details and transmits the same by electronic means to the concerned border control agencies in the destination country,” he said, adding that it would help authorities to control smuggling and illegal migration after adopting internationally accepted standard customs and immigration procedures. According to him, the system will be helpful for all air carriers and border security agencies to assist passengers, as it is being used in most of the international airports abroad. “The air carriers can also easily comply with relevant legislation of the countries they fly to after introduction of APIS.” Under APIS, once passengers are cleared for boarding, details are sent to the respective agencies for screening against additional databases while the border agencies can identify passengers and crew of interest, including those subject to UN Security Council sanctions lists and travel bans by accessing and assessing information of arriving and departing travellers. “TIA management has already asked the concerned stakeholders to submit their plans and comments regarding the implementation of advanced technological means,” he told THT. TIA, which has already briefed the CIAA about its plan, would also consult the Ministry of Home Affairs next week after consulting other stakeholders, he added. The general manager said efforts were under way to have baggage reconciliation system at TIA to help resolve baggage issues efficiently. “BRS delivers real-time information on baggage status and passengers need to simply scan bar code to accurately assign and track their baggage,” he said. The system monitors all operations, including incoming and outgoing baggage as well as loading progress of each flight. “Additionally, there is also an urgent need to improve the existing ground handling system at TIA,” he added.