Qatar trials IATA Travel Pass

Qatar Airways will be trialling the digital Travel Pass on passengers flying to Istanbul.

Qatar Airways will be trialling the new International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Pass app in the Middle East.

Passengers travelling from Doha to Istanbul are now being invited to use the ‘digital health passport’. According to the airline, it’s the first carrier in the region to be piloting the app.

IATA Travel Pass provides passengers with up-to-date Covid-19 health regulations for their destination country as well as a digital space for uploading relevant health information including Covid-19 test results and vaccination certificates.

It also provides airlines with a more contactless and secure check-in and travel experience. The pass complies with global data privacy regulations to enable passengers to share their health information safely with airlines.

“We have confidence in the credibility of the IATA Travel Pass as the industry’s most reliable and innovative solution,” said Qatar Airways boss Akbar Al Baker. “We’re proud to be at the forefront of trailing this platform, being one of the first globally and the first airline in the Middle East to trial the technology.”

It’s hoped the pass will help lay the foundations for governments to come together in the development of standardised regulations. IATA is also helping the World Health Organisation to produce a standardised vaccine certificate which it believes will help to open borders and increase global travel.

According to IATA director general Alexandre de Juniac, Qatar Airways’ deployment of the Travel Pass is “a significant milestone in restarting global connectivity… All passengers using the IATA Travel Pass can be confident that their data is protected and governments can trust that the ‘OK to travel’ means both a genuine credential and a verified identity.”

Singapore Airlines will also be trialling the pass between March 15 and 28. It will be inviting passengers with mobile phones with an Apple iOS operating system and travelling between Singapore and London to download the app.

Sign up now for the AFT Newsletter, a free weekly email featuring all the breaking travel news for Asia Pacific, Indian Ocean and the Middle East.