No big deal, says Spanish TB

THE Spanish Tourist Board has played down new rules introduced by Ryanair on travellers' documentation for entry into Spain.

Since June 2007, the Spanish Government requires that all passengers travelling from the UK/Ireland to Spain (including the Canaries and Balearic Islands) provide 'advance passenger information' ('API' or 'APIS' data) before their flight departure.

However, from this week (June 1, 2008) all passengers flying with Ryanair to Spain from the UK and Ireland must provide this APIS at the time of original booking - or at least four hours before departure on the airline's website, ryanair.com

A spokesman for the Spanish Tourist Board office in Dublin pointed out that the regulation had been in force for the past year and had not caused any real problems for airlines or tour operators.

Ryanair now says it recommends that passengers provide this information (API) easily and quickly at the time of booking, but stresses it is the responsibility of every passenger to ensure that the information is provided through the website at least four hours before departure.

Advance passenger information (APIS) will not be accepted by Ryanair at departure airports from June 1 onwards.

"Any passenger who fails to provide this important information at the time of original booking or prior to arrival at the departure airport will not be allowed to check-in and will forfeit their booking without refund," reads a Press statement

Said Ryanair's Lorna Farren: "Ryanair regrets any inconvenience these Spanish Government APIS requirements may cause.

"However it is the responsibility of every passenger travelling from the UK/Ireland to Spain submit passport or National ID data at the time of original booking or at least four hours prior to their flights on ryanair.com.

"We strongly advise all passengers travelling to Spain to submit their APIS data and thereby avoid any risk of being denied check-in."

However, Director of the Spanish Tourist Board in Dublin, Jose Manuel de Juan stressed that the regulations had been in force since last summer, and most major airlines were able to access the information required through the use of automatic passport readers.

"The information is also obtained from travellers at the time of booking, so there is no problem with this," said the STB Director. "This seems to be an issue peculiar to Ryanair which is why they have issued this statement."

The API is not a formal directive from the EU but a recommendation, although other EU countries in addition to Spain are likely to implement the measure from next year.

The API is aimed at uncontrolled immigration within the EU and reducing the threat from terrorism.

The requirement for API has been in force for the last 12 months but the new rules by Ryanair is in line with the airline's recently stated objective of cutting down workload at airport check-in desks.