Singapore Airlines trials IATA digital travel pass

Singapore Airlines passengers will be the first in the world to try the IATA Travel Pass.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) is the first airline in the world to trial the International Air Transport Association (IATA) digital travel pass.

The first passengers invited to download the mobile app will be those flying from Singapore to London between March 15 and 28.

Passengers with a mobile phone with an Apple iOS operating system will be able to download the app and create a digital identification comprising a photo and passport information. They will also be able to add their flight details to the app.

They will then need to book a pre-departure Covid-19 test at one of seven participating clinics in Singapore using the online portal, registering with the clinic using the digital identification and flight information that they’ve uploaded.

Once the test results have been uploaded, passengers will receive a ‘confirmation to fly’ status, according to the regulations of their destination. The UK currently requires proof of a negative Covid-19 test result on departure from all international arrivals.

At check-in, participating passengers will be asked to show their confirmed status.

The data on the app is stored locally in the user’s mobile phone, rather than a central database, so participants have full control over how their personal information is shared.

If the trial is successful, it’s hoped that the entire digital health verification process, including vaccination status, will be integrated into the SingaporeAir mobile app by mid-2021, using the IATA Travel Pass framework.

SIA trialled the first phase of a digital health verification process based on IATA’s Travel Pass in December, 2020.

Passengers flying from Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur were given digital or paper health certificates with a QR code. Check-in staff and Singapore immigration then verified the certificates using a secure mobile app. The trial has recorded more than 200 successful health certificate checks with no fraud detected.

“The first phase of the trials helped support SIA’s drive towards a secure and convenient industry standard for the verification of Covid-19 test results and the health status of passengers, including their vaccination status,” said JoAnn Tan, a senior vice president at SIA. “That gives us confidence that in the second phase, we can further streamline the verification process for eventual integration into SIA’s mobile application. This will help to provide a hassle-free digital solution for our customers in the new normal and help to bring about a more seamless travel experience.”

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.