Dubai’s Emirates initiates trial of IATA Travel Pass

Dubai carrier Emirates has commenced trials of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Pass, it announced on April 15.

The first passengers travelling from Dubai to Barcelona on EK 185 today trialled the ‘digital passport’ to verify and share their pre-travel Covid-19 test status with Emirates.

The travel pass is a mobile app to help passengers manage their travel in line with any government requirements for Covid-19 testing or vaccine information. The trials aims to help enable travellers to manage Covid-19 related documentation digitally, and safely throughout the travel experience.

In the future, travellers will also be able to share vaccination certificates with authorities and airlines to facilitate travel, a statement said.

The trial is being conducted on select Emirates flights from Dubai to Barcelona and London Heathrow to Dubai; and will soon be expanded to include other routes.

Eligible passengers are being invited to download the app and enrol for the digital travel pass ahead of their travels. In Dubai, Emirates has partnered with select Prime Health Care labs which are authorised to securely send test results to passengers via the app.

Those travelling from the UK, can get their test done at select Screen4 labs.

Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ chief operating officer, said: “The ability to process passengers’ Covid-19 relevant data for travel digitally will be the way forward. We are pleased to partner with IATA in trialling this initiative in real time and soon will be launching other initiatives to further enhance our customer experience.”

The IATA Travel Pass app will have an integrated registry of travel requirements to enable passengers to find accurate information on travel and entry requirements for all destinations regardless of their itinerary.

Eventually it will also include a registry of labs – making it more convenient for passengers to find testing centres and labs at their departure location. The global registry, managed by IATA, will manage and allow the flow of necessary information amongst all stakeholders.

Last week, Emirates updated its booking policies, extending the ticket validity of its customers.

Read: Dubai’s Emirates extends ticket validity, travel insurance for customers

Customers holding tickets issued before September 30, 2020 for travel before December 31, 2021, can now rebook to travel anytime within 36 months, an extension of 12 months from the previous policy.