Iata sets out plans for Covid 'Travel Pass' app

"Testing is the immediate solution to safely reopening borders and reconnecting people," said Iata director general and chief executive Alexandre de Juniac.

"Eventually, this is likely to transition to vaccination requirements. In either case, a secure system to manage Covid-19 testing or vaccination information is critical.

"The Iata Travel Pass is a solution that both travellers and governments can trust. And it is being built with data security, convenience and verification as top priorities."

Iata said the app was designed to embrace global standards for verifying users’ identities via government issued ePassports and the biometric and photographic data they contain.

Additionally, it has been designed to work with expected global digital standards for verified test results and vaccination information, set out by the World Health Organization (WHO) and based on its management of existing vaccination requirements for yellow fever.

"The WHO is developing digital standards that will make these vastly more secure and will dramatically reduce fraud," said Iata.

"When ready, the Iata Travel Pass will be able to accommodate such new global standards."

On the more immediate need for managing testing data, Iata added: "Until a Covid-19 vaccine is widely available to the general public, the priority is on Covid-19 testing. Laboratories have well-established safety standards for managing and verifying test results to individuals.

"Iata is partnering with selected and established laboratories to securely link their test results with the verified identity of the Iata Travel Pass holder."

Additionally, in line with International Civil Aviation Organization recommendations on biosafety, the app will encourage contactless processes to reduce the risk of virus transmission that arises from any document exchange during the travel process.

It will also allow similar processes that occur from check-in to boarding can be made contactless.

"As such, while the need for Covid-19 information verification may eventually disappear when we overcome the pandemic, Iata Travel Pass, however, will remain as a bold step forward in the implementation of contactless travel," said the association.