Alaska Opens VeriFLY Digital Health Passport to International Passengers
Joe Cortez February 04, 2021
To help international flyers navigate the new requirements to enter the United States, Alaska Airlines is partnering with VeriFLY to offer a digital health passport program. The app will help inbound travelers navigate the new requirements, including certifying COVID-19 test results and health questionnaires.
Alaska Airlines is adding a new tool to help international travelers navigate new entry requirements created by an executive order and rules from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Starting Feb. 5, 2021, inbound passengers can use the VeriFLY app to manage their COVID-19 related documents prior to arrival.
Digital Health Passport Stores Test Results and Health Questionnaires for Inbound Flyers
The digital health passport was created by Daon, Inc., which provides biometric authentication and identity assurance solutions for companies including PwC and Experian. The VeriFLY app, an independent program from Alaska’s other digital offerings, allows inbound international flyers to upload and store COVID-19 test results or documentation showing the flyers recovered from the viral infection to streamline the check-in process.
To use the program, flyers must download the program on their smartphones and create a profile at least seven hours before their departure. Once their identity is verified, they will select their destination country and add inbound flight details to their itinerary. From there, flyers can upload health documents into the app using the pre-travel checklist.
After documents are authenticated by the VeriFLY team, flyers will show their profile to an Alaska Airlines agent at their departure airport. While the app doesn’t allow for expedited entry into the United States, it does allow flyers to check-in without additional test verification requirements.
In the event the documents provided by the flyer cannot be authenticated, the flyer will be subject to the standard CDC entry screening procedure. Documents can up to six hours to verify by the app team.
The program allows for only one user per device, and children under 18 cannot use VeriFLY to go through entry screening. Although the app is available to help flyers, travelers are not required to use it to board their flight.
Alaska Joins Other Carriers Rushing to Offer Digital Health Passports
With the move, Alaska is joining the trend to offer digital health passport options to help flyers manage the numerous COVID-19 related restrictions worldwide. American Airlines was the first to offer VeriFLY to passengers, while United Airlines built their own option to support customers. The International Air Transport Association is developing their own platform, with Middle East carriers Emirates and Etihad Airways serving as the launch customers later this year.
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The Verifly app is total junk. I was supposed to use it coming back from Cozumel. I tried for 2 hours to download my COVID test into the app, and it did not work. I sent an email to the help line, and no one got back to me. I would not count on being able to put your documentation into the app, and plan on having it in hard copy.
It will be off and on until there is a standardized set of guidelines and polices. Then we have to worry about the reliability of the system. Look at Hawaii even with all they are doing the variants are reaching their shores.
In the app store, Verifly gets horrible reviews. Most users say it was quicker to just use the paper test than to try to navigate the app and obtain the QR code. Wish Alaska would partner with a more reliable app. We won't be uploading our data onto this app.
My next door neighbors had a Canada to Asia cruise scheduled for Aug and September later this year, 2021. Today they just received notification that their cruise has-been cancelled and they have the option to reschedule for March 2022. The cruise line told them the issue is Japan, which is not allowing tourists in through 2021. My neighbors are bummed, to say the least, because they have already received both their vaccines.