The Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa (Barsa) is to meet with the Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, this week to discuss the challenges airlines are facing with the disruption being caused by the newly installed biometric system at border control points across South African airports. The Board has already met with the border management authority.
CEO of Barsa, George Mothema, told Tourism Update that Barsa was aware of the concerns and issues arising from the implementation of the new biometric system, leading to significant delays and disruptions at the country’s largest airports.
“We are optimistic that it will pave the way for a collaborative solution to the current challenges. Barsa remains committed to working closely with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that the biometric system operates smoothly, minimising delays and ensuring a positive experience for all passengers and airlines,” he said.
While the installation of the biometric system has been phased, problems with the new technology have persisted since the project began in 2022, according to Airlines Association of South Africa CEO, Aaron Munetsi.
“The breakdowns, bottlenecks and withdrawal of critical air transport infrastructure and services, which airlines and passengers pay for in the form of user charges, levies and taxes on air travel, signals an indifference to the aviation industry and a failure to grasp its significant contribution to the country’s economy,” Munetsi lamented in a statement on July 31.
Meanwhile, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) said in a statement over the weekend, it has noted media reports on the delays in processing passengers at King Shaka International Airport (KSIA), linking these to the biometric and digital identity technology.
ACSA response
The statement read: “ACSA would like to state that the Department of Home Affairs and the Border Management Agency are implementing a Biometric Movement Control System (BMCS) at the immigration and emigration areas in three of ACSA’s airports. The system went live at OR Tambo International Airport and Cape Town International Airport.”
“We can confirm that the BMCS, which was introduced at KSIA in the last few weeks, has been experiencing post-implementation challenges, causing long queues in the immigration areas. The BMA’s technical team is working on improving the situation by, amongst others, increasing the bandwidth to ensure the system remains online and reducing the manual processing of passengers. ACSA and BMA apologise to passengers for the delays and inconvenience caused.”
The statement continued: “Notwithstanding the current challenges, ACSA is excited about the prospects of the biometric and digital identity technology that is being procured. The technology will redefine the airport experience in South Africa and is expected to be rolled out across the ACSA airport network in 2026. It will streamline immigration processes, reduce transaction times, and enhance security and passenger experience.”
ACSA has finalised a future-proof technology solution, with the first phase set for delivery in November. “While the technology is still in the planning phases, we are confident that, once fully rolled out across the ACSA airport network, the BMCS system will facilitate seamless connections of passengers to their next destinations, opportunities, and goals,” said the airports authority.
