(3min read) 2020 was a year where airlines were hugely affected by the worldwide coronavirus outbreak. The recent introduction of vaccinations in late 2020 gave the world a glimpse of hope that travel will shortly be resuming. However, with different strains of the virus emerging this optimism decreased with countries closing their borders or imposing strict quarantine controls for arrivals.

The key areas of concern are between testing and vaccines as it is difficult for airlines and border officials to verify results and certificates. Documents can often be forged and checking paperwork is time-consuming. IATA, the International Air Transport Association, came up with its own solution with a Travel Pass app that it hoped airlines would adopt. Travel Pass is a mobile app to help traveler’s quickly and securely manage their travel for government requirements for COVID-19 testing or vaccine information.  

“Testing is the immediate solution to safely re-open borders and re-connect people. And eventually, this is likely to transition to vaccination requirements. In either case, a secure system to manage COVID-19 testing or vaccination information is critical. The IATA Travel Pass is a solution that both travelers and governments can trust. And it is being built with data security, convenience, and verification as top priorities.”  

Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.  

The IATA Travel Pass stores encrypted data, including verified test or vaccination results on the traveler’s mobile phones. The passenger then has full control of what information is shared from their cellphone with airlines and authorities. The app also verifies the user’s government ID and test/vaccinations. IATA is hoping to work with the World Health Organization (WHO) in developing digital standards that will make tests and vaccinations secure and less prone to fraud.  

So far, Emirates, Etihad, and Singapore Airlines have all been trialing the Travel Pass app, with Qatar Airways planning to start trials in March.  

British Airways have also started adopting the use of health passports on flights from London to United States. Customers will be able to upload their COVID-19 test results and any required travel documentation to the VeriFLY mobile app before arriving at the airport, according to the carrier. Travelers who use the app will then be “fast-tracked” and directed to designated check-in desks. The app is also in partnership with American Airlines – a British Airways Oneworld partner. 

With the Horus-I app, you can have peace of mind as you go about your daily activities, as well as providing added reassurance. Our app aims to help education establishments to resolve the travel challenges surrounding the safety of their students and staff, helping them mitigate risk, provide live time information and assist in an emergency.

Download the Horus-I app from either the App Store or Android Play Store depending on your device.

Access to the app is granted via the Horus Control Centre or by the reseller who will issue the users login credentials.

Contact the team at info@horus-global.co.uk to discuss how the Horus-I app can improve your travel security.