The International Air Transport Association Finally Launches Travel Passes

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The aviation sector has long being reeling under the tremulous impact of the pandemic. While restriction on most air routes are still retained, a marginal number of international flights are operating through uncertain air pockets. Given the present condition, when the world will soon mark a year of battling with this health crisis, restarting air travel seems daunting. However, now the IATA has finally announced its verdict on the possibility of renewing the airline industry through the much discussed and awaited travel pass.

Details of the Launch

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced plans to launch travel passes by the end of March, 2021. This will be a step to propel and facilitate international travel that has been severely thwarted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The IATA Travel Pass will be a mobile app to help passengers easily and securely manage their travel in line with government requirements for Covid-19 tests or vaccines. The travel pass will essentially help move existing paper processes to a digital platform and correspond them with the up-to-date information on specific entry requirements of countries. This will essentially create a digital passport, receive test and vaccination certificates and verify that they are sufficient for their itinerary, and share testing or vaccination certificates with airlines and authorities to facilitate travel. This has been a welcomed decision as it will also make the process more convenient and help avoid fraudulent documentation.

Contents of the Proposed Pass

Currently, the pass is set to have four open and interoperable modules- global registry of health requirements, global registry of testing/ vaccination centers, lab app and contactless travel app. The iOS and Android versions of the pass will be launched by the end of March according to recent announcements by the IATA. However, other alternatives for people unwilling to use the pass will also be available. The traditional paper documentation process will be retained even after the launch of the pass. Several leading global airlines like Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Etihad and Air New Zealand have already signed up for IATA’s Travel Pass.