Laos launches passenger processing systems at international airports

Passengers pass in front of a temperature screening camera at the arrivals area of Wattay International Airport in Vientiane on March 11, 2020. - AFP)

VIENTIANE (Xinhua): The Immigration Department under the Lao Ministry of Public Security has launched an advanced passenger processing system (APPS) and passenger name record (PNR) for pre-screening of air passengers at international airports.

A press conference on the twin systems was recently held in the Lao capital Vientiane and chaired by director general of Immigration Department Saysaming Sivilay, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Tuesday (March 17).

APPS and PNR are computer systems that the public sector will use to manage and pre-screen air passengers checking in and out of Laos.

At the same time, it will be a system to record passenger travel details as a database for immigration officials.

This is accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the recommendation of the UN Security Council, which has notified member countries to install systems for the management and inspection of passengers in advance.

APPS and PNR are the most advanced systems that will enable officials to carry out the technical task of managing passengers who travel in and out of Laos effectively and quickly.

Saysaming said passengers will feel more confident about the safety measures taken by the airlines, while the public sector will be able to reduce expenditure on security management tasks.

The system will be especially helpful to manage and identify passengers travelling from countries that are at risk of the viral Covid-10 pandemic, said Saysaming. - Xinhua