As air travel continues to remain significantly subdued amid the pandemic, several airlines have been exploring the idea of implementing some form of a health verification process in order to get passengers into the skies again. Although thus far any such ideas have only made it to the brainstorming stage, it appears that one particular airline has already moved to implementation.
Singapore Air on Wednesday revealed that it will begin the world’s first ever trials of the Travel Pass, which was developed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The app will now be used on all flights operated by Singapore Airlines in several major cities, including Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore, with the potential for an extension to other cities if the trials are deemed successful. In addition, the airline also plans to combine the health certificate into its SingaporeAir mobile app within the next several months.
The Travel Pass app will require that passengers traveling on the selected routes take a Covid-19 test at a designated clinic, after which they will be issued either a paper or digital health certificate with a QR code, that can then be verified by airport check-in staff and Singapore’s immigration authority. The airline notes that such Covid-19 tests and eventually vaccinations will soon become an essential part of air travel, with certificates being the most ideal way of confirming a passenger’s health credentials.
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Last month, the IATA revealed that it was in the midst of creating a Travel Pass as a means of reviving the international travel slump that is expected to create a $118 billion loss for airlines in 2020. Several airlines have already expressed eagerness to implement such technology, including Qantas Airways, which had previously announced it will make proof of Covid-19 vaccination mandatory for international passengers travelling to and from Australia.
Information for this briefing was found via Singapore Airlines and the IATA. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
