Terrorists and other dangerous criminals operate around the globe, online, in networks and across borders. They regularly use airlines as a means of transport. The use of data on airline passengers, internationally known as passenger name records (PNRs), has already proven effective in other countries for fighting terrorism and other forms of serious crime. If Switzerland is to be able to use this efficient instrument, it needs to enact the required legislation.
News
On 21st March 2025, the Swiss Parliament passed the Passenger Name Records Act in the final vote. Since the referendum period has expired, the Act and the corresponding regulation are expected to come into effect at the end of 2026.
Anyone who travels by air has to provide certain information when booking or checking in: this includes first names and surnames, contact details including an address and telephone number, the date of travel and itinerary, and details relating to their baggage, method of payment and fellow travellers.
This information is entered by the airlines in a Passenger Name Record (PNR) – this is also done in Switzerland. Air carriers already have to transmit this information to the authorities in countries that use PNRs. This is required by the resolutions of the UN Security Council from member states – including Switzerland – and by the Convention on International Civil Aviation. For the airlines operating in Switzerland, these are not new, unfamiliar requirements.
Security-related aspects
PNR data give law enforcement agencies have an advantage in the fight against terrorism and serious crime. The processing of PNR data makes it possible:
- to locate wanted suspects, accused persons or convicted persons,
- to identify previously unknown persons at risk,
- to detect international networks (e.g. in connection with human trafficking) more efficiently.
For the police, the options that PNRs offer in investigations mean they can save valuable time, because they can plan or carry out necessary measures in good time.
Economic importance
The use of PNRs is a condition for Switzerland to remain in the Visa Waiver Programme, which allows Swiss citizens to travel to the USA on business or as tourists without a visa. Exclusion from the programme would have economic consequences for Switzerland: business travel would become more difficult and trade relations would be affected.
Switzerland is an important gateway for international air traffic: Switzerland must regulate the exchange and permissible processing of PNR data with the EU and third countries. Airlines based in Switzerland that operate flights to the EU, the US or Canada are already required to transfer PNR data to the destination country. Sanctions such as fines or even the withdrawal of landing rights may be imposed if they fail to do so.
A cantonal police force suspects a case of human trafficking: young women from an Eastern European city regularly arrive at the airport in Zurich. They are always accompanied by an unknown man. All tickets are booked through the same travel agency and paid for with the same credit card.
At the request of the cantonal police, the Passenger Information Unit (PIU) – specialists from the federal government and cantons – puts the known data (name of the travel agency and credit card number) on a watch list.
A few weeks later, the PIU receives a match (hit) because of comparing the list. After manual verification, the information is forwarded to the cantonal police. Upon arrival in Switzerland, the man in question is arrested. The interrogation and initial investigations confirm the suspicion that he is a human trafficker.
The police then submit a request to the PIU to check whether the man in question has taken any other such flights in the last three weeks. The PIU checks whether the legal requirements are met. If this is the case, it carries out the requested search and confirms that the arrested man has used the same flight connection several times.
Thanks to this additional information, the cantonal police can continue their investigations, identify further victims and protect them from exploitation.
Passengers will be informed that their PNR data is being used when they make their booking. With the implementation of the Passenger Name Records Act, passengers will not be required to provide any additional information when booking their flights. Airlines will only pass on information that they have previously received from passengers.
When flying to a country that uses PNR, airlines are already obliged to transfer PNR data to the authorities in the destination country.
A competent authority is being established at fedpol : the Passenger Information Unit (PIU). The PIU is staffed by employees from the federal government and the cantons.
The law gives top priority to protecting passengers' data and privacy. Particularly sensitive data such as that on ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, health status or sexual orientation do not form part of the PNR data.
the purpose for which PNR data can be used and access to the data is strictly regulated. PNR data may only be processed for combating terrorism and serious crime. Only the staff of the national Passenger Information Unit (PIU) may access PNR data. Hits from data matching are always manually verified first before they can be forwarded to the relevant authorities.
For better protection, data with no evidence of terrorism or other serious crime is automatically pseudonymised one month after it is received by the PIU. Anyone can ask fedpol whether the PIU is processing data about them.
Links
- Press release dated 15 May 2024
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Press release dated 1 November 2023(not available in English)
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Press release dated 13 April 2022(not available in English)
- Completed consultation (german)
Last modification 20.10.2025
