API on Virgin

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Reference the discussions about the Advanced passenger Information, Virgin have announced on an email that this will come into force on their flights from 2nd February 2006

 

[sandshal]

Obi, Can you give a rough explanation of API please?

Many thanks

sandshal (Sharon)

 

[carolfoy]

Its so US immigration know where you are staying, i.e. you'll have to give name address and zip code for your hotels etc prior to flying.
The way its going I'm still surprised that you don't actually have to give full passport details at the time of booking, I'm sure this'll come up eventually.

 

[magentadreamer]

BMI seem to be on the ball about it I rang them with mine a few weeks ago. But I can see huge queues at check in's as people who didn't know about it dig around for hotel details etc. I mean how many people actually carry the zip code with them?

Also while digging around on BMI's web site, I was just making sure I'd get into the US I found out at Chicago they have an automated machine where you have to get a ticket to say you're about to leave the US and had that in. It would appear gone are the days when you just got your green form taken out of your passports by check in staff.

 

[juliebro]

We've recently booked to go to New York in October next year with BA and I had to provide passport details at time of booking. I have also to provide detail of where we are staying - once I have booked the hotel. This information must be provided before we fly - and BA have advised me to provide it as soon as we can in advance - in order to avoid delays at the airport.

Julie

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Obi, Can you give a rough explanation of API please?

Many thanks

sandshal (Sharon)

here you go, from Virgin:

Virgin Atlantic, like other airlines is working in close cooperation with the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to meet new US requirements relating to Advance Passenger Information.

These new requirements oblige all airlines to transmit additional information about passengers to the CBP prior to the departure of flights to the United States.

Specifically, there will be a requirement for all passengers who are not US residents to provide their country of residence and details of their full address (street name and number, city, zip code and state) for their first night’s accommodation in the US. Passengers travelling to the US continue to require a machine readable passport or valid visa.

Our primary aim is to make the process of collecting the required information as quick and easy as possible for all of our passengers, our contact centre agents and our travel industry partners. We are currently working on system enhancements that will enable the necessary data to be collected from passengers at the time they make their flight booking (whether this is directly with us via our contact centre or internet or through a travel agent). Passengers will also be able to provide this information via the 'Update Your Booking' facility within the 'Manage Your Flight' section of our website and when checking in online or using our kiosk facilities at London Heathrow. These systems will come into operation in the coming months and passengers will be provided with full information about the new procedures and requirements in advance of this.

In the meantime, we would ask that all passengers continue to be prepared to provide their valid travel documents and details of their full US destination address for US Immigration. There is no requirement for passengers to arrive at the airport any earlier than usual or to provide any information in advance of checking in for their flight.

 

[Laurafoster]

Hopefully most airlines will send information like this when you get the tickets, Virgin are pretty good at sending out all the information. Hopefullly meaning the queues shouldnt be too much longer.

 

[sandshal]

Thank you all!

Guess I better dig out the full postal address for the villa.

sandshal

 

[Clare D]

I think that the tour operators should tell you why they require your passport details at booking. We booked our 2006 holiday back in July and I just assumed that it was for the cruise that they required our passport details. Now I realise from reading this that it is for the immigration. I have nothng to hide so I'm not worried but it would just save confussion.

 

[SimonV]

This is a very pertinent point as MyTravel have already introduced this (at gatwick, anyway), as we found on a recent flight with them (16-12-05). This actually led to l-o-n-g delays at the check-in, so we were actually more than half an hour late in taking off. We arrived with two hours to spare before flight time, and the whole process took - two hours Many people were taken by surprise by the need to provide full address details and it took ages for some people to get their details correct. It underlines the need to be there at least 3 hours before your flight these days, although hopefully the charter airlines will find a way to speed this process up in future. Ironically, a BA flight to Detroit on 24/12 had no such address requirements, and thjere were no delays. Go figure. But I think the bottom line is you need to be prepared for longer check-ins in the near future, and the need to provide all your US address details - including zip code - when you check in.

 

[Goofyish]

As it says on the Virgin site, I'm sure that airlines and travel companies will try and get this information before check-in, so hopefully there won't be that many delays at check-in once the systems are in place.

Not sure what will happen with the 'allocated on arrival' type holidays, where you have no idea where you will be staying until you get there!

 

[Bexx]

Last time we stayed at Old Key West for the whole trip, except for the first night. I know that the green waiver form usually asks for the address of where you're staying on the first night, but, if we do the same thing in the future, could I give the OKW address for the waiver form and API instead?

 

[patdavies]

Last time we stayed at Old Key West for the whole trip, except for the first night. I know that the green waiver form usually asks for the address of where you're staying on the first night, but, if we do the same thing in the future, could I give the OKW address for the waiver form and API instead?

What part of the requirement to provde the address for your first night do you not understand?

 

[Miffy2003]

What part of the requirement to provde the address for your first night do you not understand?

Actually I think it was a reasonable question to ask, and one I have been wondering about too. I'm not sure there is any need for sarcasm.

I expect I was wondering for the same reason as Bexx - Saturday night DVC points!

 

[SimonV]

It's a tough question as it doesn't seem to make much sense to list the first-night address when you'll be elsewhere for the holiday. But you do need to stick strictly to the letter of the form as the US immigration officials are sticklers for EXACT detail. It really doesn't pay to fudge the issue at all and, while all my recent experiences with immigration have been pretty positive (notably Sanford in December), they are not the people to be anything other than straight with.

 

[patdavies]

Actually I think it was a reasonable question to ask, and one I have been wondering about too. I'm not sure there is any need for sarcasm.

I expect I was wondering for the same reason as Bexx - Saturday night DVC points!

Actually, I don't think it is a reasonable question.....

The requirements are laid down in black & white (well, black & green on the I-94W).

One thing that reading many of the posts on this forum should have taught everybody is.....don't mess with US Immigration! And certainly don't think that you are cleverer or can second-guess them.

The form asks for the first night address; that, simply, is all that is required.