Emirates Expected to Implement IATA Travel Pass Phase 1 in April

Emirates is set to become one of the first airlines in the world to trial the IATA Travel Pass.

The IATA Travel Pass  mobile app will enable Emirates’ passengers to create a ‘digital passport’ to verify their pre-travel COVID19 test or vaccination meets the requirements of the destination.

They will also be able to share the test and vaccination certificates with authorities and airlines to facilitate travel.

The new app will also enable travellers to manage all travel documentation digitally and seamlessly throughout the travel experience.

Prior to a full roll out, Emirates will implement phase 1 in Dubai for the validation of COVID19 PCR tests before departure.

In this initial phase, expected to begin in April, Emirates customers travelling from Dubai will be able to share their COVID19 test status directly with the airline even before reaching the airport through the app, which will then auto-populate the details on the check-in system.

Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer, said, “While international travel remains as safe as ever, there are new protocols and travel requirements with the current global pandemic. We have worked with IATA on this innovative solution to simplify and digitally transmit the information that is required by countries and governments into our airline systems, in a secure and efficient manner. We are proud to be one of the first airlines in the world to pilot this initiative, which will provide an enhanced customer experience and conveniently facilitate our customers’ travel needs.”

Within the IATA Travel Pass app, the integrated registry of travel requirements will also enable passengers to find information on travel and entry requirements for all destinations regardless of where they are travelling from.

It will also include a registry of testing and eventually vaccination centres – making it more convenient for passengers to find testing centres and labs at their departure location which meet the standards for testing and vaccination requirements of their destination.

The platform will also enable authorized labs and test centres to securely send test results or vaccination certificates to passengers.

The global registry will be managed by IATA.

Nick Careen, IATA Senior Vice President for Airport, Passenger, Cargo and Security, said, “We’re proud to work with Emirates to make IATA Travel Pass available in the Middle East region. With its global customer base and network traffic, Emirates as a partner will also bring invaluable input and feedback to improve the Travel Pass programme. This is the first step in making international travel during the pandemic as convenient as possible giving people the confidence that they are meeting all COVID19 entry requirements by governments. As borders re-open, IATA Travel Pass will be further enhanced with more capabilities to meet all governments testing or vaccination verification requirements and Emirates customers will be among the first to have these services.”

IATA Travel Pass - Exclusive Video Interview with Vinoop Goel

PODCAST

Editor's note: As the above video interview was conducted over the internet, I would like to apologise that the audio and visual quality are not up to the same HD/UHD quality that it normally would be. Hopefully it won't be too long until we are once again conducting exclusive video interviews in person, but for now we have to make do with what we have. Thank you.

See also: Future of Airline Distribution and NDC - Interview with Yanik Hoyles, IATA (November 2019).

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