Civil Aviation: New Security Measures for International Charter Flights

Posted 11 December 2025 Written by Acts Online
Category Transport

Brought to you by SA Legal Academy: The Department of Transport has gazetted a notice under the Civil Aviation Act, No. 13 of 2009, to strengthen national security protocols for unscheduled international flights.

In terms of the Civil Aviation Act, No. 13 of 2009, the new measures address identified gaps in the implementation of immigration regulations, specifically concerning advanced passenger processing. These measures follow an inter-departmental analysis of the civil aviation and national security threats posed by non-scheduled international charter flights.

The notice is effective immediately and applies to any aircraft operator providing unscheduled services with the intent to transport 20 or more passengers to South Africa. Operators are now required to ensure full compliance with advanced passenger processing requirements to mitigate security risks associated with such arrivals.

Regulatory Context

The directive follows recent arrivals of international travellers that necessitated a review of current immigration and civil aviation security frameworks. While the Department of Home Affairs and the Government Communication & Information System (SAnews) have issued statements regarding specific arrivals, this notice formalises the regulatory response for all non-scheduled operators.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: No direct individual obligations; impact is channelled through professional advisory roles for aviation, logistics, and compliance clients.
  • For your business: Firms operating or facilitating non-scheduled international flights must immediately update their passenger processing protocols to ensure compliance with the 20-passenger threshold reporting requirements.
  • For your clients: International charter clients and groups of 20 or more must prepare for enhanced vetting and advanced passenger processing requirements prior to arrival in South Africa to avoid entry delays or regulatory non-compliance.

Originally published at https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/civil-aviation-tough-measures-in-place-for-non-scheduled-international-charter-flights

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