Rwanda’s flag carrier RwandAir has announced it will become the first African airline to trial the IATA Travel Pass.
The carrier will begin its initial three-week trial of the pass in April for customers travelling between Kigali in Rwanda and Nairobi in Kenya. RwandAir passengers participating in the trial will have a digital passport that verifies their pre-travel COVID-19 test or vaccination meets the requirements of their destination. The pass will also enable passengers to safely and securely share their test and vaccination certificates with participating authorities and airlines around the world.
Reinforcing health and safety measures
The digital IATA Travel Pass platform is designed to be incorporated into airlines’ apps, helping travellers understand what they need before they fly.
Yvonne Manzi Makolo, RwandAir’s CEO commented on the announcement: “RwandAir is proud to be the first African airline to trial the IATA Travel Pass, which could reinforce all the health and safety measures and protocols which we have put in place to restore customer confidence to fly once more.
“We are incredibly proud to be part of IATA’s Industry Advisory Panel, to ensure we guide the technology development in a way that covers the unique requirements of our passenger profile. IATA’s innovative solution simplifies and digitally transmits the information required by countries and governments around the world into our airline systems, in a secure and efficient manner.
“Travel Pass will make it easy for our customers to resume flying – and just as easy for RwandAir, and airlines around the world, to accept them.
The trial app’s features include a registry of testing centres and labs at departure and arrival locations that are able to conduct COVID-19 tests required for the journeys.
IATA’s Director General and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac commented: “RwandAir is showing its industry leadership in Africa by becoming the first airline on the continent to trial IATA Travel Pass. RwandAir has long used IATA products as the most reliable source of information on entry requirements.
“This trial will build on that history of working in partnership and takes us a step further in the context of COVID-19. IATA Travel Pass will give governments the confidence to re-open their borders knowing that arriving passengers are in full compliance with any testing or vaccination requirements.”
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