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IATA Touts Travel Pass as Key to Reopening Aviation Sector

The International Air Transportation Association says they are in the final phase of an app that will help travelers track their COVID-19 testing status and manage a global health requirement registry. The digital Travel Pass is expected to be released to the public in 2021, helping flyers manage entry requirements via a digital platform.

Could an app help flyers travel across borders again? The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced they are in the “final development stage” of their digital Travel Pass, a four-part app which could help open borders through document and health requirement management.

App Designed to Keep Health Forms, Test Results and Requirements in One Place

In one place, the IATA hopes to create an infrastructure which will support global travel. The app is designed with four interoperable modules, each of which is designed to help travelers navigate the complex world of post-COVID international travel.

The app aspires to create both a global registry of health requirements, along with a global registry of testing and vaccination centers. Through these modules, the trade organization hopes to drive a central location where international flyers can not only find requirements for entry into a foreign nation, but also where they can go to get a COVID-19 test, or a vaccine once it becomes available.

Finding a testing center is only the first step in being able to travel. For the foreseeable future, entry requirements may include verified lab results showing a negative test result. The IATA app aims to allow labs to submit results on behalf of flyers to a secure database, which passengers could then share with airlines and border officials in a “digital passport.” As a result, flyers could be able to potentially manage all of their documents online, which could expedite entry into nations without quarantine.

“The…key is the global information infrastructure needed to securely manage, share and verify test data matched with traveler identities in compliance with border control requirements,” IATA director general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said in a press release. “That’s the job of IATA Travel Pass. We are bringing this to market in the coming months to also meet the needs of the various travel bubbles and public health corridors that are starting operation.”

The IATA is working closely with International Airlines Group to bring the app to life. The goal is to offer the app to flyers in the first three months of 2021.

App Announced as IATA Leadership Set to Change

When the IATA Travel Pass launches, it may be the last act of de Juniac as the leader of the international trade organization. The organization announced that the former Air France-KLM executive will step down from the seat on Mar. 31, 2021. Replacing him will be a very familiar face in the aviation industry: Willie Walsh, former leader of IAG.

3 Comments
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sfoeuroflyer December 1, 2020

Since 99%+ have smart phones, maybe higher for those minded to travel internationally, let's not get hung up on dealing with the handful who don't. I hope the bureaucrats who seem to run things now let this happen....but then common sense and imagination are not qualities one sees in the world's health officers.

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joban November 25, 2020

I know several people that have a Alcatel Go Flip 3, and won't want to have to buy a new phone just so they can travel internationally.

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zarkov505 November 24, 2020

Not everyone uses a smartphone. Some of us have no desire to become part of the New Zombie Apocalypse. Will there be a paper alternative, or is IATA going to guy smartphones for all of us?