COVID-19 Travel Pass – An Initiative by IATA Pilots on Singapore Airlines, Emirates, & Etihad

To re-open borders without quarantine and to have accurate information on passengers’ COVID-19 health status, IATA has started work on an IATA Travel Pass, a digital platform for passengers. This will help airlines to mitigate the risks of COVID-19 import.

What is the IATA Travel Pass for COVID-19?

It’s a mobile app that has been launched for trials on Emirates, Etihad, & Singapore Airlines. Travelers can store and manage certifications for COVID-19 tests or vaccines. The app is expected to be available in iOS and Android stores by March 2021.

The information supplied here is verified & is a secure means to manage health requirements, much more efficient than paper documentation. With this app, IATA is looking forward to giving governments the confidence to reopen their borders without imposing quarantines on incoming travelers.

How the IATA Travel Pass works?

The IATA Travel Pass will help people to travel at ease while meeting any government requirements for COVID-19 tests or vaccines. It will encompass:

Global registry of health requirements – to find accurate information on travel, testing, and vaccine requirements for journeys

Global registry of testing/vaccination centers – to identify testing centers and labs at departure location which meet the standards for testing and vaccination requirements of the destination.

Lab app – to locate authorized labs and test centers to securely share test and vaccination certificates

Digital passport module – to enable passengers to create a ‘digital passport’, receive test and vaccination certificates and verify that they are sufficient for their itinerary, and share testing or vaccination certificates with airlines and authorities to facilitate travel. This app can also be used by travelers to manage travel documentation digitally and seamlessly throughout their journey, improving the travel experience.

Source: IATA

Emirates, Etihad & Singapore Airlines Launch the Pilot Run of COVID-19 Travel Pass.

Singapore Airlines has adopted the pass in December 2020. Emirates & Etihad have also announced the trial run. Both the UAE carriers will initially offer the pass on selected flights from Abu Dhabi and Dubai. This would be done in the first quarter of 2021. If the trial is successful, the pass will be extended to other destinations in Etihad and Emirates’ network.

Passengers will be in control of their data and can if required, share results and information with governments and the airline.

“COVID-19 tests and vaccinations will be key to get the world flying again. Since August 1, 2020, Etihad is the only airline requiring a pre-departure negative PCR test result for all passengers worldwide, and again on arrival in Abu Dhabi, giving our guests the added assurance of safety when they travel with us,” said Mohammad Al Bulooki, COO Etihad Aviation Group.

“A high priority for Etihad is for our guests to have an easy, secure, and efficient way to identify and verify their information. Being one of the first airlines globally working with IATA as a pioneer partner on the IATA Travel Pass is a big step forward for Etihad’s guests and the industry.”

What’s your take on the COVID-19 Travel Pass? Would this be helpful for international travelers?