Recently, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced changes to the rules surrounding how airlines report information about passengers and crew before flights. This system is called the Advance Passenger Information System, or APIS. These changes are in response to a Presidential Executive Order.
What is APIS?
APIS is a system that airlines are legally required to use to send information about passengers and crew members to CBP before an international flight departs. This includes details like a person’s name, date of birth, gender, nationality, and passport number. The information is cross-referenced against law enforcement databases for potential risks or problems before travelers arrive in the United States. The goal is to enhance national security by identifying inadmissible individuals before they arrive in the United States, while also speeding up the process for legitimate travelers.
It’s important to note that Flight Attendants do not handle APIS information directly. Instead, Customer Service Agents (CSAs) are responsible for entering the required data into the Passenger Service System, which transmits to APIS.
What Has Changed?
Currently, APIS allows entries of “M” for male and “F” for female to indicate gender. Previously, it also accepted other letters without causing issues. Starting October 13, 2025, the system will only accept “M” or “F” in the gender field. If an airline tries to submit anything else, APIS will return an error, meaning they will have to fix the entry. If a traveler’s document shows a different gender indicator or none at all, the airline or the traveler will need to choose either “M” or “F.”
How Will This Work At Alaska and Hawaiian?
This change will affect Flight Attendants who are operating, deadheading, and traveling for pleasure on international flights to or from the United States. We have reached out to management to find out how they plan to address situations where a passenger’s documents don’t match the new requirements. We are still waiting for their response.
