IATA Travel Pass: The application to travel abroad

In order to reactivate the commercial aviation industry, in check due to the appearance of Covid-19, the air regulator IATA has stepped forward on several occasions. On this occasion, and after several months looking for a way to make the air connection between countries more fluid, the International Air Transport Association has managed to develop a health pass called Travel Pass. In conjunction with governments, immigration agencies, airlines and laboratories, it aims to unify criteria and procedures, while optimizing time, the delivery of information, and the storage of important documentation in one place.

What is the IATA Travel Pass?

This instrument developed by the International Air Transport Association is a means of verification of tests and vaccines. According to Juniac, General Director and CEO of IATA, the global communication achieved with this instrument will make the management, dissemination and verification of requirements possible. With it, each element involved in the transport of people from one country to another will have its role and responsibility so that the application of said health pass is effective.

Governments

Governments should ensure the ability to verify the authenticity of evidence, while verifying that the identity of those presenting it is true. This includes having the necessary means to receive, verify, and report on the acceptance or not of said documentation.

Airlines

The airlines will be committed to providing the necessary information in terms of documentation, tests, and times required, both for departure and entry into the different territories where they travel. It is important to note that connections often have requirements as well.

Laboratories

Laboratories must be able to digitally issue the permits required for the trip. It is necessary to bear in mind that each migratory and health agent has its own regulations, which implies different studies that must be carried out at specific times.

Passengers

Those who want to embark to a foreign territory must not only ensure that they obtain all the necessary information for said transfer, but also have the necessary resources to send the results obtained to airlines and immigration agencies involved. It is the entire responsibility of the passenger to obtain said information through official channels.

Read also: These are some health recommendations for flying

In addition to the insistence of IATA on systematic testing of outgoing travelers and co-participation with the entities involved, Travel Pass combines four combinable modules to achieve the necessary conditions for travel. Passengers will be able to enter the registry of health requirements, where the pertinent health requirements are specified in order to travel. A registry of health centers will provide a list of testing centers, recognized by the duty station. In addition, through the Lab App, laboratories can safely send results so that they are at their fingertips in minutes. Finally, the contactless travel application allows you to create a digital passport, and send all the necessary information to regulatory bodies, while minimizing the need for contact with other people.

In addition to these measures, most airlines continue to use the TIMATIC application, where the updated requirements for entry and/or stopover in foreign territories can be found. Finally, the endorsement in 2019 of One ID, also from the aeronautical entity, provides a unique identity code, and will function as the basis for the aforementioned contactless travel application.