Azerbaijan: Security procedures prior to boarding an international flight; whether authorities require a list of passengers for international flights (2015-September 2017)

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

1. Aviation Security in Azerbaijan Airports

The information in the following paragraph is from the website of Azerbaijan Airlines, a Baku-based airline originally founded as an Azerbaijan state aviation body in 1992 (Azerbaijan Airlines n.d.a):

The Aviation Security Administration [Aviasiya Təhlükəsizliyi İdarəsi (ATİ)], was created in 1996 as a division of Azerbaijan Airlines, and "is the entity that bears direct responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the State Aviation Security Program and the Aviation Security Assurance Regulations". The ATİ operates at the following airports within Azerbaijan: Heydar Aliyev International Airport, Ganja International Airport and Yevlakh Airport, Zabrat Airport and the Pirallahi Heliport, Zagatala Airport, Lankaran Airport, and Gabala Airport. The Aviation Security Service is a "functional structural division" of the ATİ, and works "to ensure the security of civil aviation". The Aviation Security Service is responsible for the following functions regarding airport security:

• Security screening of passengers, crew, personnel, and other persons, using state-of-the-art equipment
• Inspecting carry-on bags
• Performing profiling, passport control of passengers on international flights, and other special procedures
• Performing security inspections of aircraft
• Performing security inspections of checked baggage
• Performing security inspections during the preparation and delivery of food and supplies to the aircraft
• Performing security inspections of cargo and mail. (Azerbaijan Airlines n.d.b)

2. Security Procedures Prior to Boarding an International Flight

Information on security procedures for departing passengers on international flights in Azerbaijan was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Without providing further information, the website of the Nakhchivan International Airport in Azerbaijan states that "[p]re-flight examination at the [a]irport is carried out by the employees of Aviation Security Service, Customs Service, Border Service and Migration Service from the entrance door of the airport premises to clearance area" (Nakhchivan International Airport n.d.).

The website of Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku indicates, without providing further information, that "inspection of all incoming persons, as well as all their items, is conducted when entering the terminals of the Heydar Aliyev International Airport" (Heydar Aliyev International Airport n.d.).

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), a "trade association for the world's airlines, representing some 275 airlines or 83% of total air traffic" that "support[s] many areas of aviation activity and help[s] formulate industry policy on critical aviation issues" (IATA n.d.a), indicates on its website, without providing further information, that the "[c]ustoms declaration must be handed over on departure" at airports in Azerbaijan (IATA n.d.b).

3. List of Passengers

Information on whether authorities require a list of passengers for outgoing international flights could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

According to a document prepared by the Azerbaijan State Civil Aviation Administration, "the central executive body, exercising control, state policy and regulation in the sphere of civil aviation" (Azerbaijan n.d.), the following passenger information must be included on a landing permission request form for aircraft operators landing in Azerbaijan: "[n]umber of passengers, full names and passport details (incl. hosting party) - for business flights; [n]umber of passengers, full names and hosting organization - for passenger flights" (Azerbaijan Feb. 2012, 3).

According to the US Department of State's Country Reports on Terrorism 2016, "Azerbaijan security services effectively share information within the government and with other countries. Collection of Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Records on commercial flights occurred on some flights" (US 19 July 2017).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Azerbaijan. February 2012. State Civil Aviation Administration. "Aerodrome/Heliport Charges." [Accessed 5 Sept. 2017]

Azerbaijan. N.d. State Civil Aviation Administration. "About Us." [Accessed 12 Sept. 2017]

Azerbaijan Airlines. N.d.a. "History of CJSC Azerjaijan Airlines." [Accessed 5 Sept. 2017]

Azerbaijan Airlines. N.d.b. "Security." [Accessed 31 Aug. 2017]

Heydar Aliyev International Airport. N.d. "Security & Customs." [Accessed 6 Sept. 2017]

International Air Transport Association (IATA). N.d.a. "About Us." [Accessed 6 Sept. 2017]

International Air Transport Association (IATA). N.d.b. "Azerbaijan Customs, Currency & Airport Tax Regulations Details." [Accessed 31 Aug. 2017]

Nakhchivan International Airport. N.d. "Pre-Flight Examination." [Accessed 5 Sept. 2017]

United States (US). 19 July 2017. Department of State. "Azerbaijan." Country Reports on Terrorism 2016. [Accessed 12 Sept. 2017]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Azerbaijan – Embassy in Ottawa; International Organization for Migration – Azerbaijan.

Internet sites, including: Azerbaijan – Ministry of Internal Affairs, State Customs Committee, State Migration Service; Azerbaijan Business Center; Azeri-Press Agency; BBC; ecoi.net; Factiva; Lufthansa; Reuters; Trend News Agency; Uzbekistan Airways.