Page 19 - AAA JANUARY-MARCH 2021 Online Magazine

TECHNOLOGY

Finally.

Hope

THE IATA TRAVEL PASS AND
OTHER DIGITAL HEALTH
PASSPORTS THAT ARE IN THE
WORKS PROMISE TO REVIVE
INTERNATIONAL AIR TRAVEL verification process, which is based on the Travel Pass framework.
AND BRING RELIEF TO A The association intends to release the Travel Pass for airlines to
STRUGGLING INDUSTRY adopt by the end of March. As part of the efforts to improve the
functionality of the app and to ensure quarantine-free travel, the
organization plans subsequent releases in April and the coming
months.
Arun Sivasankaran
“OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH SINGAPORE AIRLINES
It may not be the magic cure that the avia- FOR THE FIRST FULL DEPLOYMENT OF THE IATA
tion industry is hoping for, but the IATA Travel
Pass, a mobile app to help travelers store and TRAVEL PASS WILL HELP GET THE WORLD FLYING
manage their certifications for Covid-19 tests AGAIN,” Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Airport,
and vaccines, promises to breathe new life into Passenger, Cargo and Security.
an industry that has seen its recovery from the “IN THE IMMEDIATE TERM, IT IS THE SOLUTION
Covid-19 crisis being dragged down by quar- FOR TRAVELERS TO SAFELY AND SECURELY
antine measures and restrictions imposed by
countries. MANAGE THEIR TRAVEL HEALTH CREDENTIALS.”

The free-to-use mobile app, which provides dig- The introduction of the digital app by SIA will be followed by a
ital proof that travelers have tested negative for pilot with the International Airlines Group (IAG). About 20 airlines,
COVID-19 or have been vaccinated against the including Emirates, Qatar Airways, Gulf Air ,Etihad Airways, Copa
virus, is seen as key to reopening borders and Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, airBaltic, Air New Zealand and
making international air travel a global reality RwandAir are conducting trials of the app. Many plan to have the
again. Airlines, eager to turn the corner after app in place before the summer.
more than a year of declining numbers, have
placed a lot of trust on the app, with trails with Comprehensive and Safe
more than 20 carriers already on or expected The free app, which will be available on iOS and Android platforms,
in the weeks ahead. has four independent four open sourced and interoperable modules
which can be combined for an end-to-end solution. The app, which
Even as they wait for their turn, carriers around will store encrypted data, would provide passengers information
the world will be eagerly watching Singapore about travel, testing and vaccine requirements for their journey, and
International Airlines (SIA), the world’s first air- help them find testing centers and labs that can conduct COVID-19
line to test Travel Pass. Soon after beta testing tests in accordance with the type of test required for their journey.
of the app in flights from Singapore to London The Travel Pass also enables authorized labs and test centers to
between March 15 and March 28, the airline will send test results or vaccination certificates to passengers. With the
partner IATA in the first full pilot of the program. app, travelers will also be able to create a ‘digital passport,’ verify
In December last year, the airline had success- if their tests and vaccination meets the regulations and share test
fully trialed the first phase of its digital health or vaccination certificates with travel authorities.

ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE January/March | 19