INTERNATIONAL. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is in the final development phase of the IATA Travel Pass, a digital health pass that it says will support the safe reopening of borders.
As governments introduce testing to limit the risk of COVID-19 spreading as they reopen for travel. IATA said its digital pass would “manage and verify the secure flow of necessary testing or vaccine information among governments, airlines, laboratories and travellers”.
IATA and British Airways owner International Airlines Group (IAG) will undertake a trial to demonstrate that this platform combined with COVID-19 testing can reopen international travel and replace quarantine. The first cross-border IATA Travel Pass pilot is scheduled for this year and the launch for quarter one of 2021.
The information infrastructure needed to enable the Travel Pass should support:
- Governments with the means to verify the authenticity of tests and the identity of those presenting the test certificates.
- Airlines with the ability to provide accurate information to their passengers on test requirements and verify that a passenger meets the requirements for travel.
- Laboratories with the means to issue digital certificates to passengers that will be recognised by governments, and;
- Travellers with accurate information on test requirements, where they can get tested or vaccinated, and the means to securely convey test information to airlines and border authorities.
IATA’s Director General and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said: “Today borders are double locked. Testing is the first key to enable international travel without quarantine measures. The second key is the global information infrastructure needed to securely manage, share and verify test data matched with traveller identities in compliance with border control requirements. That’s the job of IATA Travel Pass. We are bringing this to market in the coming months to also meet the needs of the various travel bubbles and public health corridors that are starting operation.”
IATA Travel Pass incorporates:
- Global registry of health requirements – enabling passengers to find accurate information on travel, testing and eventually vaccine requirements for their journey.
- Global registry of testing / vaccination centres – this enables passengers to find testing centres and labs at their departure location which meet the standards for testing and vaccination requirements of their destination.
- Lab App – to enable authorised labs and test centres to securely share test and vaccination certificates with passengers.
- Contactless Travel App – to enable passengers to (1) create a ‘digital passport’, (2) receive test and vaccination certificates and verify that they are sufficient for their itinerary, and (3) share testing or vaccination certificates with airlines and authorities to facilitate travel. This app can also be used by travellers to manage travel documentation digitally and seamlessly throughout their journey.
