Airlines Shouldn’t Bear All Costs When Travellers Are Denied Entry, IATA Says

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is calling on governments to take greater responsibility for the costs associated with travellers refused entry at international borders, arguing that airlines are frequently penalized for decisions beyond their control.

A new IATA report, based on a survey of 49 airlines and 22 border authorities, found widespread inconsistencies in how countries handle inadmissible passengers, including a lack of transparency about why travellers are turned away.

While airlines are responsible for checking passengers’ travel documents before departure, IATA says immigration decisions can involve factors beyond their reasonable control, including sophisticated fraud, changing immigration policies and government security assessments.

“Despite document checks by airlines, some travellers are refused entry at their destination. This can result in airlines bearing significant costs, including fines,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Operations, Safety and Security.

“Research shows that airlines often receive a bill or fine without any specification of the reason for inadmissibility. To help prevent recurrence, more transparency is essential.”

According to the report, 40 of the 49 airlines surveyed had experienced cases in which immigration authorities failed to explain why a passenger was refused entry.

Most airlines estimated that documentation and processing errors accounted for approximately 20% to 30% of inadmissible passenger cases.

Under standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), airlines are responsible for custody and care costs when passengers are refused entry because of improper documentation. Governments are responsible when entry is denied for other reasons.

However, airlines reported paying at least some costs that should have been borne by governments in more than 90% of cases.

The financial consequences can be substantial. Average costs per inadmissible passenger ranged from approximately $5,600 in North Asia to nearly $20,000 in Europe.

In one extreme example, an airline was charged nearly $100,000 for six months of passenger care while the individual remained in government custody awaiting cooperation from an embassy.

“We’ll take responsibility when it is our error. But airlines should not face such large and open-ended costs when a situation is totally out of their control,” Careen said.

All airlines surveyed reported operational delays associated with inadmissible passengers, including rebooking complications, aircraft and crew disruptions, escort requirements and coordination with border authorities.

IATA wants governments to distinguish between cases where airlines failed to conduct appropriate checks and situations where entry was refused for reasons beyond their control.

The association is also seeking more proportionate penalties, clearer explanations for entry refusals and greater use of digital tools to identify potential problems before departure.

Recommendations include expanded use of interactive Advance Passenger Information systems, digital document verification and improved communication between airlines and immigration authorities.

For travel advisors, the findings underscore the importance of ensuring clients have appropriate passports, visas and other entry documentation before departure. They also highlight that valid travel documents do not guarantee admission, since final entry decisions rest with border authorities.

“Governments and airlines want the same outcome: secure borders and smooth travel,” Careen said.