Envoys Praise Somalia as the country restores the International Air Transport Association’s Billing and Settlement Plan, a framework for airline ticket sales and settlements that had been absent for 35 years. The Somali Civil Aviation Authority organized the Mogadishu relaunch ceremony, attended by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre and international diplomats.
The return places local travel agents within the same global settlement framework used by airlines and agencies elsewhere. Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Farah Nuh said the ministry had worked for an extended period to restore it, calling the system an opportunity to support economic growth and strengthen Somalia’s international market connections.
Envoys Praise Somalia’s Ticketing System Return
The IATA-BSP tracks ticket sales and handles related financial settlements between airlines and IATA-accredited passenger sales agents. With the system restored, Somali travel agents can sell international airline tickets and settle accounts through that framework, rather than relying on informal or intermediary arrangements.
The relaunch follows a pilot phase that began in April 2026. Four travel agents and several airlines serving Somalia, including Ethiopian Airlines, participated. The system is expected to open to all airlines and more than 300 travel agents operating in the country.
Prime Minister Barre credited institutional reform, prepared regulations and policies, and staff training with building the capacity to manage air services. He also cited economic growth, debt relief, Somalia’s entry into the East African Community and the handover of national security as areas of progress.
International Representatives Welcome the Change
Italy’s Ambassador to Somalia, Pier Mario Daccò Coppi, said Somalia had “achieved progress in aviation” and called the restoration “a great success,” according to an SCAA statement. UK Ambassador Charles King described the opening as “a modern system that is a step forward for the country and the Somali people.”
Abdirazak Warsame, vice chairman of IBS Bank, said the system was a success for airline companies able to serve equally within Somalia and abroad. Their comments accompanied the relaunch, while the planned expansion will bring more agents into the system than took part in the pilot.
The ticketing framework’s return comes amid other changes in the country’s aviation sector. Aden Adde International Airport has recovered from a period when it relied on humanitarian flights and the illicit qaat trade, and now handles hundreds of thousands of passengers annually, according to FTL Somalia’s account of the airport’s recovery.
System Rollout Faces a Wider Aviation Context
Somalia regained Class A airspace classification in January 2023, restoring full control of its airspace after more than three decades. Somali Airlines is preparing to resume operations after a 35-year hiatus, with two Airbus A320 aircraft acquired for the effort and a government-set September deadline. SalamAir also launched direct Muscat-Mogadishu flights in September 2026.
At the same time, international aviation restrictions remain. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency maintains a HIGH-risk advisory for Somali airspace below Flight Level 260, citing terrorist organizations with confirmed anti-aviation weaponry. The US Federal Aviation Administration’s Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 107 also prohibits US air carriers from flying below FL260 in Somali airspace.
A ticketing system can connect local agents and airlines through shared financial processes, but its expansion depends on participation. The pilot involved four agents, while the planned opening covers more than 300. The next stage is bringing those agents and additional airlines into the framework that Somalia has restored.
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Read the source report on the relaunch for the ceremony and system details.
