Somalia restores IATA airline ticketing settlement system

Somalia has formally reinstated the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP), marking the country’s return to the global airline ticket settlement system after 35 years.

Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre and officials from the Somali Civil Aviation Authority launched the system in Mogadishu. The move aims to reduce the reliance of local travel agencies on foreign settlement networks and improve the handling of international ticket sales and payments. Under the BSP, accredited agents report sales and transfer funds through a centralized system that distributes payments to participating airlines.

The relaunch follows a pilot program involving several airlines, including Ethiopian Airlines, and is expected to eventually serve more than 300 travel agencies operating in Somalia. Officials stated that the restoration of this system is part of broader institutional reforms and efforts to rebuild state infrastructure following decades of conflict.