Despite a 'Passenger Information Unit' (PIU) being implemented to screen all airline passengers, reports have shown that only two in five in Belgium are being screened, according to De Tijd.
The team at the unit is made up of experts from the federal police, the State Security, the military intelligence service and customs. They are required to process all the data of airline passengers who come through Belgian airports. The experts receive, among other things, the names, address details, invoice details, dates of birth and passport numbers of passengers, both 48 hours before take-off and when the gate closes.
The federal government aimed to reach 75% passengers’ security screening by the end of last year, but the system has faced technical difficulties, including the integration of different ticket reservation systems used by air companies.
Brussels Airlines was the first to transmit its data. For security reasons, the Crisis Centre does not wish to reveal which companies are not yet included. Its objective is 75% passengers “screened” by April.
The Brussels Times
