The IATA Travel Pass is set to be released by March 2021 and could be an innovative development in the aviation industry’s battle against coronavirus.
Who are the International Air Transport Association?
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) represent 290 airlines and support areas of the aviation industry. They help to create policies on issues that require critical attention.
They recently stated that travel will not return back to normal until 2023. This means something has to be done to manage the virus alongside the aviation industry, so airlines and travel companies can financially survive the pandemic.
The IATA Travel Pass – What Is It?
At the start of the year, elements of the IATA Travel Pass were released. Essentially, the pass is a mobile app that can manage travellers’ journeys in check with government regulations. The app will help those who have to travel by storing their COVID-19 test results. In addition, the travel pass will include if they have had the vaccination or not.
The app creates a digital passport, so as well as being able to share health certificates, flyers can also keep all their travel documents in one place. It is proposed to support systematic testing by helping governments, airlines, laboratories and travellers. Also, the IATA Travel Pass will
include a registry of testing and vaccination centres and a tool to share health checks with laboratories.
However, the individual is in charge of their own data and can decide whether to share it with those who require it. Consequently, this could be a huge step for airlines and authorities trying to reign in coronavirus cases.
The travel pass is still under development, and IATA stated that it should be available to travellers by March 2021.
The Travel Pass Trials
Although passengers may have to wait until March to download the app, the IATA Travel Pass has already been trialled by two airlines.
Emirates and Etihad Airways have been using the passes to keep their guests and staff members safe. The pass provides a smooth experience and improves customer service. Using the app, flyers can acquire information about entry requirements. Also, they can receive test results and vaccination certificates from authorised laboratories.
Emirates becomes one of the first airlines in the world to trial @IATA Travel Pass, a global digital platform for COVID-19 updates and test verification. https://t.co/9XBs7RHNKz#FlySaferWithEmirates #FlyEmiratesFlyBetter pic.twitter.com/uTSTESDmeG
— Emirates Airline (@emirates) January 19, 2021
The IATA Travel Pass could be an important step in getting people up in the air again and will certainly help local authorities control the flow of people coming in and out of their area. Do you think the travel pass is a good idea? Let us know in the comments below!
