Important information regarding the United States Visa Waiver Program
It is your responsibility to check all entry and/or transit requirements, including visa, passport validity and onward/return travel and/or accommodation booking requirements prior to travel.
In addition to other travel documentation requirements, from 12 January 2009, all visitors to the United States travelling under the Visa Waiver Program (including Australian passport holders) should obtain authorisation to travel to the U.S. online at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov, It is recommended that you apply no later than 72hrs prior to departure. This applies for passengers flying to the United States either as a destination/stop-over or as a via/transit point.
All passengers travelling to or via the United States must receive the authorisation prior to departure.
Passengers travelling on a passport other than an Australian passport and passengers with special visa requirements should check immigration requirements with the United States Embassy.
If you do not have all documents necessary to travel, Jetstar may not be able to carry you. Jetstar will not be responsible for any losses if you fail to obtain the appropriate travel requirements. Please see the Qantas Website for more information. To find out more about the ESTA program, and to apply, please refer to the ESTA website. For more information about other documentation required to enter to the US, visit the US Department of State website or contact your local US Embassy or consulate.
US DOT's Final Ruling on Non-discrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel
From 13 May 2008, the US DOT's Final Ruling on Non-discrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel became effective. Jetstar must comply with most of the requirements of the Final Ruling by 13 May 2009. Please click here to view here to view the full document; ACAA Final Ruling - DOT 14 CFR Part 382 Non discrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel; Final Ruling - Federal Register / Vol 73. No.93 / Tuesday May 13 2008 Rules and Regulations.
Secure Flight Program
What is the Secure Flight Program?
On 28 October 2008, the United States of America (USA) Department of Homeland Security (DHS) introduced the final rule for a program known as 'Secure Flight'.
Secure Flight enables pre-screening of passenger information against USA Federal Government watch lists, before the passenger arrives at the departure airport. Watch list matching already applies to all domestic and international passengers travelling on flights into, out of, within, or over the USA. The new rule aims to reduce the incidence of misidentifications. The objectives of the program are to:
- identify known and suspected terrorists;
- prevent individuals on the No Fly List (and in some circumstances, other watch lists maintained by the USA Federal Government) from boarding an aircraft to the USA;
- identify individuals on the Selectee List for enhanced screening to determine if they are permitted to board an aircraft;
- facilitate passenger air travel by allowing cleared passengers to continue with their travel to the USA; and
- protect individuals' privacy.
What information is required?
From 31 October 2009, international airlines are required to request and collect Secure Flight Passenger Data, and transmit it to the USA's Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a division of the DHS, which will be responsible for the matching process. This will require Qantas, Jetstar and other airlines, to collect and send the following information to the TSA:
- full name as it appears on the passenger's travel document;
- date of birth;
- gender; and
- redress number*, if available.
* A redress number is a unique number that helps the TSA eliminate watch list misidentification. If a passenger has experienced screening difficulties or believes they have been mistakenly matched to a name on the watch list, they may apply to the DHS for a redress number at www.dhs.gov/trip.
When is this information required?
You should provide these details at the time of booking. The data must be provided to the TSA by the airline no later than 72 hours prior to flight departure, when the watch list matching process will begin. Airlines such as Jetstar and Qantas must receive clearance from the TSA for every passenger before that passenger is allowed to board one of their flights travelling to, from, within or over the USA.
The TSA is required to ensure the data is handled in accordance with stringent guidelines and all applicable privacy laws and regulations. In most cases it will retain the data for no more than seven days.
What about the Advance Passenger Information System and Electronic System for Travel Authorisation?
The Secure Flight Program does not replace the current requirement for APIS (Advanced Passenger Information System) data to be provided to United States Customs and Border Protection. ESTA (Electronic Sytem for Travel Authoristion) data will also continue to have to be provided to the United States Department of Homeland Security.
The new requirements can be found in the Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 209 / Tuesday, October 28, 2008 / Rules and Regulations which is available at www.tsa.gov.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Privacy Notice
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires you to provide your full name, date of birth, and gender for the purpose of watch list screening, under the authority of 49 U.S.C. section 114, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 and 49 C.F.R parts 1540 and 1560. You may also provide your Redress Number, if available. Failure to provide your full name, date of birth, and gender may result in denial of transport or denial of authority to enter the boarding area. TSA may share information you provide with law enforcement or intelligence agencies or others under its published system of records notice. For more on TSA privacy policies, or to review the system of records notice and the privacy impact assessment, please see the TSA Web site at www.tsa.gov.