Hargeisa (SLpost)- The Somaliland Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airports Development has announced new regulatory measures prohibiting the acceptance of airline tickets issued through Somalia’s Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) for departures from Hargeisa Egal International Airport and Berbera International Airport.
In a ministerial directive dated 25 October 2026, the ministry said the measures establish mandatory requirements for airline ticketing, travel-agent licensing and regulatory compliance for airlines and travel agencies operating in connection with departures from the two airports.
The directive, identified as Ministerial Regulatory Directive No. MCA&AD/OM/D/02/2026, takes immediate effect, according to the ministry’s press release.
Tickets issued through Somalia’s BSP
Under the new directive, tickets issued through Somalia’s Billing and Settlement Plan will not be accepted or departures from Somaliland’s airports, regardless of when they were issued.
The restriction also applies to tickets purchased before the announcement, including return tickets, the ministry said.
The measure could affect passengers who have already purchased tickets through travel agents or ticketing arrangements connected to Somalia’s BSP. Travellers departing from Hargeisa or Berbera may therefore need to confirm whether their existing bookings comply with the new requirements before travelling.
The ministry’s announcement does not specify how affected passengers should obtain refunds, exchange existing tickets or arrange alternative bookings.
Travel Agents Must Meet Somaliland’s Licensing Requirements
The directive states that tickets for departures from Somaliland’s airports must be issued through authorised airline channels. These include official airline websites, mobile applications, airline ticket offices, airport ticket counters and travel agents licensed by the Department of Civil Aviation Regulation and Air Transport.
The ministry said the department would provide affected airlines with a list of travel agents identified as potentially non-compliant. Airlines would then be required to notify the relevant agents and instruct them to regularise their licensing status, where applicable, by 31 October 2026.
From 1 November 2026, airlines may maintain ticketing and distribution arrangements only with travel agents who meet Somaliland’s applicable licensing and authorisation requirements.
Airlines and travel agencies face a short compliance period
The announcement gives affected travel agents a limited period to address potential licensing issues before the new arrangements take effect in November.
According to the press release, Airlines operating departures from Hargeisa and Berbera will need to review their ticketing and distribution arrangements to ensure compliance with the directive. Travel agencies serving passengers departing from the two airports will also need to verify that their licences and authorisations meet the ministry’s requirements.
For passengers, the immediate priority will be confirming the validity and acceptance of existing tickets, particularly those issued through Somalia’s BSP, and checking directly with their airline or authorised travel agent before departure.
Implications for Somaliland’s aviation regulation
The directive reinforces the ministry’s stated requirement that ticketing and travel-agent operations associated with departures from Somaliland’s airports comply with Somaliland’s regulatory framework.
Its practical impact will depend on how airlines, ticketing systems and travel agencies implement the restrictions, particularly for bookings already issued and passengers holding return tickets.
The ministry’s press release does not provide further details on enforcement procedures, penalties for non-compliance or arrangements for passengers whose tickets are affected.
The Somaliland government’s decision to prohibit flight tickets issued through Somalia’s Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) follows discussions of the issue by the Somaliland Cabinet, preceding the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airports Development’s issuance of the new directive.
The subsequent ministerial directive formalises the restrictions on BSP-issued tickets for departures from Hargeisa Egal International Airport and Berbera International Airport, while reinforcing requirements for travel agents to obtain the appropriate licences and authorisations under Somaliland’s regulatory framework.
The move places airline ticketing and travel-agent compliance under renewed regulatory scrutiny, with the ministry requiring affected travel agents to regularise their licensing status by 31 October 2026. From 1 November, airlines may maintain ticketing and distribution arrangements only with travel agents that meet Somaliland’s applicable licensing and authorisation requirements.
The directive comes amid renewed efforts by Somalia to expand the use of the International Air Transport Association’s Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP), a system that centralises ticket-sales reporting and financial settlements between accredited travel agents and participating airlines.
IATA announced a pilot programme for Somalia in April 2026, while Somalia launched the announcement in Mogadishu on 18 October. The system is intended to strengthen travel agencies’ access to international airline distribution and reduce reliance on settlement arrangements based in other countries.
Against this backdrop, Somaliland’s decision to reject tickets issued through Somalia’s BSP for departures from Hargeisa and Berbera introduces a separate local compliance requirement for airlines and travel agents serving the two airports. The practical implications for existing bookings and cross-border ticketing arrangements remain unclear.
