New Passenger Checks At Bangkok Airport

[george]

INTERVIEW FROM RADIO SINGAPORE:

Crimson Logic's Advanced Passenger Information System

TRANSCRIPT FROM RADIO SINGAPORE:

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, many countries have implemented stringent checks on both passenger and crew data for all commercial flights.

In Business Ideas this week, we take a look at how one company is developing a system that helps airlines and airports to collate passenger information.

Welcome to the program, I'm Melanie Yip.

Aviation security has made a stronger presence since the events of September 11. In the United States, legislation was passed requiring all commercial airlines on international flights to send passenger and crew information to the relevant US customs authorities for processing before arrival into the country. Several countries have also adopted similar practices.

One of them is the new Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, which is expected to open in 2006.

Suvarnabhumi Airport will install the Advanced Passenger Information System, or APIS that will help collate passenger data prior to touch down of an aircraft.

Tan Geok Hoon is the Vice President for Trade and Logistics at Crimson Logic, the company that won the bid to install APIS in the Suvarnabhumi Airport. She tells me how APIS functions.

TGH: The system will collect the passenger information prior to touch down of an air craft. And this information is sent by the aircraft system. Passenger information will be processed and classified into different categories, for example, high risk, potential involvement in terrorism, narcotic or health issues etc. There will also be a classification of passengers being placed in a black list, or under a watch list identified by the Thai government agencies, like Royal Thai Customs, and they will be highlighted on the systems. The information will be displayed on the monitor in the control center, and will also be sent to the PDA for duty officers using a wireless network identifying those cases.

What type of passenger information are you collecting?

TGH: The passenger information is classified under WCO (World Customs Organization) standards. It involves around 30 odd data elements. Information include complete name of passenger, date of birth, citizenship etc. But not all the data needs to be used, it depends on the country, and what information needs to be collected for analysis.

APIS also allows other relevant Thai authorities to access the passenger information as well.

TGH: This APIS system is really Crimson Logic's customized product which we call "Risk Management System". The system will be integrated into the system of the Royal Thai Immigration, Royal Customs System and other government sectors as well. This is a scalable solution, and we are able to integrate seamlessly to the Thai system. The important fact is because it is modular, we are able to deliver the system in a faster period. We are working with a major Thai company that is a system integrator, they are CDG systems. They are the ones that are providing services for the customers, and provide an interface for all these government agencies where the main risk assessment system will be done by us.

Since September 11, aviation security has been brought to the forefront by many governments, and this also brought about the need to deliver sophisticated but easy to handle security equipment, says Ian Thomas, Senior Analyst at the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation in Australia.

IT: There has been an international approach to aviation security following September 11. And it is really in line with a document that is Annex 17 of the Chicago Convention of the International Civil Aviation Organization. This document forms the framework, if you like, to a number of groups that have been developed, and which is operating in Asia and as well as the world.

Adding to that is the demand for better work efficiency in handling customs checks, and smoother passenger flow, as Tan Geok Hoon from Crimson Logic points out.

TGH: With globalization and increased travel around the world, you can see that the work load of the customs officers has increased. And there is a demand for work efficiency. The other thing is, the needs of customer demand have increased. They are requesting for faster customs clearance, and simple clearance processes. And with the availability of technology, therefore we are able to implement a system like APIS. In addition, it is also because of 9/11 that triggered a need for such systems.

And the Advanced Passenger Information System that will be installed in the new Thai airport will be based on Crimson Logic's J2EE Risk Management System. Crimson's Thai partner, CDG Systems Thailand will assist to integrate the security solution with the existing systems of the Thai immigrations, customs and other agencies, says Tan Geok Hoon.

TGH: Whether the APIS is going o be a one size fits all, the API (Advanced Passenger Interface) has been defined by WCO and ICAO some years back. So the framework is already there. Different countries will adopt different models in implementing the APIS. It is differentiated by how the countries want to implement it. For example, like Suvarnabhumi Airport, we implemented the APIS with a risk management module, and for other countries, they may put in other AI elements to better detect the potential of high risks travelers.

While these security systems help aviation personnel to detect potential threats, one major concern that many have is the issue of privacy, when information such as personal data is being shared within a network of authorities. Ian Thomas from the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation.

IT: Obviously, there is some element of confidentiality, or provision, and sharing of passenger information. This has come to the fore that airlines are being required as much as possible to provide information to security agencies, and beyond that, to some government agencies. The sharing of information within Asia, and within other parts of the region will be essential to the integrity of the security systems. That is something that governments and operators for that matter have to come to grips with over time.

Tan Geok Hoon from Crimson Logic explains how there have been regulations implemented to ease privacy concerns.

TGH: Post 9/11, the privacy of data has already been relaxed in the need to enhance security. A good example will the revised privacy law enacted by the United States. There is still the concern of personal data vis-a-vis for security clearance. The information has been agreed among countries before the data is being used. And this is the information where passengers have to declare to the airlines before boarding the aircraft.

How does this system differ from other systems in the market?

TGH: The APIS is internationally recognized. It was first designed by WCO (world Customs Organization). So, in terms of the requirements, generally APIS is the same. What is unique about our system is we have a risk management module which we also use to introduce AI (artificial intelligence) if customers need it. On top of that, we have a modular framework that we can, just like a Lego set, hook up the system very quickly within a short time frame. The AI aspect works on an intelligent agent where knowledge is done through discovery machine learning and possible visual-neuro network that is built into the system. The objective is to have a human independent system. We will also implement clustering techniques into a database in order to detect high risk profile. And the system can learn from the data. That means it is a self-learn system, and it will continue to build up the richness of the information.

And Ian Thomas sees the potential for many Asian airports to install such security systems, though cost may still be a factor.

IT: Cost is an important issue, both for airlines and airports. And that is something that needs to be resolved. ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) and IATA (International Air Transport Association) for that matter feel that the governments have to provide large amount of the costings involved in establishing and improving security systems. The airlines too might pass on some of that cost to consumers, and that is an inevitable part, by way of surcharges. As far as Asia's preparedness in terms of aviation security, it varies from country to country. Some systems have been in place, while other places have made improvements in security systems. But really, I do not think that it has been addressed in many of the countries, and we have to see improvements there as the systems develop.

Ian Thomas, Senior Analyst at the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation in Australia. And earlier, Tan Geok Hoon, Vice President of Trade and Logistics at Crimson Logic in Singapore.

That ends another edition of Business Ideas. For Radio Singapore International, I'm Melanie Yip.

--Radio Bangkok / Radio Singapore 2005-05-05