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IATA Travel Pass – a way out of the pandemic?

While the COVID19 pandemic is still slowing down aviation and the globe in general, it is obvious (hopefully) that the travel movements will increase again. Besides the direct health status, the documentation will play a crucial role in the recovery process.

Why?

To ensure people will travel again, the airlines have to offer the flights and countries have to reduce the entry barriers (such as quarantine etc). One way to allow certain groups of travelers easier (normal) admission into the country. With this certainty, people would be certain and more willing to book a flight. Hence, the demand on flights will increase and we will see our beautiful planes back where they belong – in our sky.

How does the Travel Pass help?

One way to motivate countries to open the borders is to reduce the risk of importing new COVID19 cases. To do so countries either close the borders completely or they control admission of people. A detailed track for each traveler about the (negative) test results help to enter a country. In addition, it also helps the passengers to inform them about the applied regulations and what pre-cautions have to be taken before travel. For this information, the app relates on Timatic (read more about it), the industry’s most trusted databank.

The system behind (source: IATA – Travel Pass Initiative)

Will it work?

As many of IATA’s ideas it needs a wide application by almost all stakeholders involved in the scenario. Only then it will really work. With only few countries and airlines accepting the Travel Pass, its huge benefit will not apply. Unfortunately, this is the case in many of IATA’s ideas and projects.

As COVID19 is a special situation and the industry is desperately waiting for a recovery, the will to apply new scenarios is higher than usual. By today’s date already 23 airlines from all over the world are involded in the trail of the Travel Pass. From May on, Singapore accepts the IATA Travel Pass as an official document to verify test results. This is an important step, as many other countries might take Singapore as a role model and follow the spirit of Singapore.

Short introduction on IATA’s Travel Pass

A promising path to the future

While we still struggle with daily issues due to COVID19, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Once the crisis is overcome, the need and will to travel will come back. As travelling might become more and more contactless, the app also offers non-COVID19 related support. With this, it mean it is possible to enable the growing travel demand in the most comfortable way possible.


Cover photo: Etihad Airways Launches IATA Travel Pass – Outlook Traveller (outlookindia.com)

Sources:

https://www.iata.org/en/programs/passenger/travel-pass/

https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/pr/2021-04-06-01/

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