Singapore Airlines has become the first carrier to officially launch a COVID passport, which will display passenger vaccination status and COVID test results.
The airline announced that its “ digital health verification process ” was the first in the world to be modeled on the International Air Transport Association (IATA) travel pass framework.
The airline said it made the decision to start testing the process because it expects these “immunity passes” to become the norm for all air travel around the world.
The company said COVID testing and vaccinations will certainly be “an integral part” of air travel for the foreseeable future, and certificates are the most effective way to “validate a passenger’s health credentials. “.
The company has proclaimed that the health pass will provide a “smoother experience” for customers and be part of “the new normal”.
The airline noted that all passengers traveling from Jakarta or Kuala Lumpur to Singapore will be mandated to take COVID tests at specific clinics in those cities.
Passengers will receive a digital or paper “ health certificate ” with a QR code, according to the airline’s press release, which will be used as part of immigration check-ins and control.
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“Together, we will demonstrate that people can return to travel with the assurance that they meet all of the government’s Covid-19 entry requirements,” commented Nick Careen, IATA Senior Vice President for Airport Security , passengers and freight.
“This will ensure that SIA customers will be among the first to benefit from government reopening of borders with testing or vaccination requirements. And the experience gained through the collaboration helps prepare for the possible global deployment of the IATA Travel Pass, ”added Careen.
As we reported last month, IATA, the world’s largest air travel lobby group, expects its COVID travel pass app to be fully rolled out in the first months of 2021.
Dozens of airline executives and travel industry officials have now indicated that proof of vaccination, via “ COVID passports ”, will become mandatory for travel.
Another ‘COVID passport’ type system known as CommonPass, sponsored by the World Economic Forum, is also in development.
Another “ COVID passport ” app called AOKpass from international travel security company SOS is currently being tested between Abu Dhabi and Pakistan.
Hundreds of tech companies are scrambling to develop COVID passport systems.
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