Iata is partnering with Emirates and Etihad Airways as some of the first airlines in the world to trial the Iata Travel Pass – a mobile app to help passengers easily and securely manage their travel in line with any government requirements for COVID-19 testing or vaccine information.
The pass enables passengers to create a ‘digital passport’ to verify that their pre-travel test or vaccination meets the requirements of the destination. They will also be able to share the test and vaccination certificates with authorities and airlines to facilitate travel. The new app will also enable travellers to manage all travel documentation digitally and seamlessly throughout the travel experience.
Prior to a full roll-out, Emirates will implement phase one of the travel pass in Dubai for the validation of COVID-19 PCR tests before departure. In this initial phase, expected to begin in April, Emirates customers travelling from Dubai will be able to share their COVID-19 test status directly with the airline even before reaching the airport, through the app, which will then auto-populate the details on the check-in system.
Etihad Airways will also initially offer the travel pass to guests on selected flights from Abu Dhabi in the first quarter of 2021.
Nick Careen, Iata Senior Vice President for Airport, Passenger, Cargo and Security said: “This is the first step in making international travel during the pandemic as convenient as possible, giving people the confidence that they are meeting all COVID-19 entry requirements by governments.”
He added that as borders reopen, the travel pass would be further enhanced with more capabilities to meet all governments’ testing or vaccination verification requirements.
Within the Iata Travel Pass app, the integrated registry of travel requirements will also enable passengers to find accurate information on travel and entry requirements for all destinations, regardless of where they are travelling from.
The pass will also include a registry of testing and, eventually, vaccination centres – making it more convenient for passengers to find testing centres and labs at their departure location that meet the standards for testing and vaccination requirements of their destination.
Furthermore, it will enable authorised labs and test centres to securely send test results or vaccination certificates to passengers. The global registry, managed by Iata, will manage and allow the secure flow of necessary information amongst all stakeholders to provide a seamless passenger experience.
