United Arab Emirates national carrier Etihad Airways is trialling the IATA Travel Pass until 31 May on flights from Abu Dhabi to Chicago, New York, Washington and Toronto.
Mohammad Al Bulooki, Chief Operating Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, commented on the announcement: “With the dynamically changing health requirements for travel, Etihad believes that a digital health passport solution will provide additional clarity and ease for travellers. Etihad has partnered with IATA so that together, a globally unified approach to a travel pass can be simplified to make travel easier once governments decide what regulations are required to cross borders in either direction.”
Passengers can download the IATA Travel Pass app from the Apple App Store and then reserve an appointment with Life Diagnostics at Sultan Bin Zayed the First Street or BioGenix Labs at Masdar City, explaining they are participating in the IATA Travel Pass trial. On arrival at the clinic, Etihad customers should show their passports and IATA Travel Passes downloaded on their mobile devices.
Etihad customers participating in the IATA Travel Pass pilot will benefit from priority queue access at Life Diagnostics and Biogenix Labs for their PCR test, and are also able to complete the check-in process at the airport faster. They also receive a free 90mb Wi-Fi voucher to use in-flight.
Etihad Airways trial of IATA Travel Pass will help build confidence among governments and travellers that digital health apps can safely, securely and conveniently help restart aviation. The app gives travellers a one-stop-shop to help them comply with the new rules for travel, and for governments complete assurance in the identity of the passenger and the authenticity of the travel credentials being presented.
Nick Careen, IATA Senior Vice President for Airport, Passenger, Cargo and Security.
