IATA Urges Fairer Cost Sharing When Governments Refuse Airline Passengers Entry Abroad

The report draws on responses from 49 airlines and 22 border authorities, examining the financial and operational consequences of inadmissible passenger cases.

The International Air Transport Association is calling for clearer rules and fairer cost sharing when passengers are refused entry at their destination. Airlines check travel documents before departure, but some immigration decisions involve information or circumstances beyond their reasonable control. A new IATA report says carriers can face substantial bills and fines without being told why a passenger was denied entry.

The report draws on responses from 49 airlines and 22 border authorities, examining the financial and operational consequences of inadmissible passenger cases. Most airlines said documentation and processing errors accounted for roughly 20–30 per cent of cases, indicating that document checks cannot prevent every refusal. Other factors include complex fraud, changing migration patterns, information unavailable to carriers and government immigration or security decisions.

Rules agreed by governments through the International Civil Aviation Organization assign airlines custody and care costs when entry is refused because of improper documentation. Governments are responsible for those costs when passengers are refused entry for other reasons, according to the framework described in the report. Airlines reported paying at least some costs that should have fallen to governments in more than 90 per cent of cases.

Airlines report unexplained refusals and substantial passenger costs

Forty of the 49 airlines surveyed reported cases in which immigration authorities did not disclose the reason for refusing a passenger entry. That left carriers arranging the passenger's removal without the information needed to understand the decision or help prevent similar cases. Nick Careen, IATA's Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety and Security, said airlines often receive a bill or fine without an explanation of the underlying problem.

Average costs per inadmissible passenger ranged from around US$4,000 in North Asia to US$14,000 in Europe, highlighting the financial exposure carriers face. One survey participant reported a charge of nearly €60,000 for care at €300 a day over six months, covering a passenger held in government custody pending cooperation from the relevant embassy. Careen said airlines should accept responsibility for their own errors, but should not face large, open-ended charges for circumstances outside their control.

Entry refusals disrupt flights and expose inconsistent national rules

Every airline surveyed had experienced operational delays involving passengers refused entry, with consequences extending beyond the individual traveller's arrangements. Cases can require rebooking, escorts, changes involving aircraft and crews, and lengthy coordination between carriers and authorities. These demands add to the complexity of arranging removal, particularly when responsibilities or timelines are unclear.

The report found considerable variation in national requirements covering services, removal deadlines, penalties and the allocation of responsibility. Differences sometimes exist between airports within the same country, making it harder for airlines to follow a consistent process. IATA wants governments to distinguish between failures to take necessary precautions and cases that remain beyond an airline's reasonable control.

Earlier checks and clearer decisions could improve prevention

IATA is urging governments to link penalties and cost sharing to the precautions an airline took, its control over events and the specific reason for refusing entry. Authorities should explain their decisions within legal limits, giving carriers enough information to identify problems and reduce repeat cases. Timely notification and stronger cooperation between governments and airlines would also help when a passenger's removal becomes necessary.

The association recommends greater use of interactive Advance Passenger Information, digital verification, Immigration Liaison Officer support and real-time channels for resolving questions before departure. These measures would help identify admissibility concerns earlier, when there is more opportunity to address them before a passenger travels. Careen said governments and airlines share an interest in secure borders and smooth journeys, with better information and consistent global standards helping ensure that responsibility reflects what each party can reasonably control.