The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that it is in the final development phase of the IATA Travel Pass, a digital health pass that it says will support the safe reopening of borders without the need for quarantine.
Disney has been hit hard by the restrictions on air travel, with heavy spending international guests locked out of Walt Disney World since March 2020. Combined with upcoming COVID-19 vaccinations, the IATA Travel Pass could reopen borders and see a return of international tourism to Florida.
The IATA initiative comes at a time when the White House is reportedly considering lifting the travel restrictions from the European Union and the United Kingdom.
“Today borders are double locked. 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 traveler identities in compliance with border control requirements. That’s the job of IATA Travel Pass. 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,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.
IATA Travel Pass will manage and verify the secure flow of necessary testing or vaccine information among governments, airlines, laboratories and travelers. A contactless Travel App will enable passengers to create a ‘digital passport’, receive test and vaccination certificates and verify that they are sufficient for their itinerary, and share testing or vaccination certificates with airlines and authorities to facilitate travel.
The first cross-border IATA Travel Pass pilot is scheduled for later this year and the launch slated for quarter one 2021.
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