Emirates airline, a Dubai-based airline, has begun testing of the COVID-19 digital passport, a mobile app that allows passengers to quickly and safely monitor their travel in accordance with any government testing or vaccination requirements.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Pass, which verifies and shares passengers’ pre-travel COVID-19 test status with Emirates, was first used by passengers flying from Dubai to Barcelona on EK 185.
The trials, according to the airline, are a move toward making travel easier by allowing travelers to handle COVID-19-related documents digitally, securely, and conveniently.
The trial is currently taking place on selected Emirates flights from Dubai to Barcelona and London Heathrow to Dubai, with plans to extend to other routes in the near future.
Travelers will be able to exchange vaccination certificates with authorities and airlines in the future to make travel easier.
“The ability to process passengers’ COVID-19 related data for travel digitally will be the way forward,” said Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer. We’re proud to have been early adopters and partners with IATA in putting this project to the test in real time, and we’ll be introducing more programs to improve our customer experience soon.”
Passengers who are eligible are being individually invited to download the app and register for the digital travel pass prior to their departure.
Emirates has collaborated with a number of Prime Health Care laboratories in Dubai, which are authorized to send test results to passengers through the app in a secure manner.
The IATA Travel Pass app will have an interactive registry of travel requirements, allowing passengers to find correct travel and entry requirements for all destinations, regardless of their itinerary.
The IATA Travel Pass app will have an interconnected repository of travel conditions, allows travelers to find up-to-date details on travel and entry criteria for all countries, irrespective of their travel plans.
Read More on Tech Gist Africa:
A Digital Health Passport Program is being tested by Safaricom
Microsoft, Oracle and other tech giants team up on Covid-19 vaccination digital passports