Establishing and Developing Passenger Information Units
API/PNR advisory — from the regulatory framework to operations and performance improvement
TUTELARIS supports government authorities in establishing and developing passenger information units, and in building their capability to work with Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) data — from the legal framework through to operations and performance improvement.
Establishing a unit does not end with choosing a system. It extends to its procedures, its people, the quality of its data, and its coordination with airlines and the relevant authorities.
The service draws on the experience of the firm's founder, Dr. Raad Al-Louzi, in establishing and leading a national passenger information unit. His responsibilities included contributing to the preparation of its regulatory framework, developing its working procedures, selecting and training its staff, and coordinating with airlines and the system provider. He later chaired a joint committee to review the regulatory framework, covering traveller data protection and airline obligations.
How we help
Regulatory framework and governance
Drafting and reviewing the unit's legal and regulatory instruments, in coordination with the competent authority and its legal advisers: the unit's mandate, the responsibilities of the bodies it works with, airline obligations, and the controls on collecting, using and protecting data. This is prepared for the authority's own national context — not by transferring a single legislative template between states.
Operating model and working procedures
Translating the unit's mandate into a structure, roles, processing paths, documentation and referral routes; and preparing or reviewing standard operating procedures, then testing their suitability for day-to-day use.
Technical requirements and solution assessment
Drafting functional and operational requirements from the unit's tasks and procedures; supporting the assessment of solutions; reviewing how far they meet the agreed requirements; and following up on change requests with the provider.
Airlines and data quality
Planning airline onboarding for data submission and following it through, setting out the requirements, and addressing gaps, delays and errors with the parties concerned.
We distinguish between data arriving and data being usable: regular transmission alone does not establish that records are complete and fit for operational use.
Team building and operational readiness
Defining what the team needs, assessing candidates and making selection recommendations, designing role-based training, and preparing what analysts, data auditors, quality officers and coordinators require. For units already running: diagnosing needs, reviewing workflow, and setting improvement priorities.
Scope of our role
We provide advice, requirements drafting, and technical and operational assessment — including reviewing how far solutions meet the agreed requirements. We do not supply systems or implement them technically. Sovereign decisions, and the authority to approve, to process data and to operate, remain with the competent authority.
Who we work with
Competent government authorities, and capacity-building programmes run by regional and international organisations. The scope, deliverables and responsibilities of each engagement are defined before work begins.
Discuss your unit's needs
Are you planning to establish a passenger information unit, or to develop one already running? Tell us the stage your project has reached and its main challenge.