According to reports, International Air Transport Association (IATA) is set to launch a digital “health passport” in order boost international air travel which has been hit hard due to coronavirus as various companies look to rollout out vaccines in the coming months.
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The new “passport” will enable passengers to convey the test results to authorities in the airlines with travel pass pilot project scheduled for later in the year.
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IATA director general Alexandre de Juniac said: “Testing is the first key to enable international travel without quarantine measures. The second key is the global information infrastructure needed to securely manage, share and verify test data matched with traveller identities in compliance with border control requirements. That’s the job of IATA Travel Pass.”
IATA said it is in the “final stages” of developing the digital health pass. The global travel body said that it can be used to record COVID-19 tests or vaccinations and will “support the safe reopening of borders”.
The app reportedly will use block-chain technology and won’t store data in order to ensure privacy of users.
IATA director general said: “We are bringing this to market in the coming months to also meet the needs of the various travel bubbles and public health corridors that are starting operation.”
Meanwhile, Australian airline Qantas Alan Joyce international travellers would need to be vaccinated against coronavirus to fly.
“We are looking at changing our terms and conditions to say for international travellers that we will ask people to have a vaccination before they can get on the aircraft,” CEO Alan Joyce said.
IATA had earlier predicted 66 per cent drop in global air traffic in 2020 and said it will drop 46 per cent next year compared to 2019.
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