The International Air Transport Association and Etihad Airways have signed a partnership to launch the IATA Travel Pass for guests. The mobile app is designed to help passengers easily and securely manage their travel in line with government requirements for Covid-19 tests or vaccines.

IATA Travel Pass will initially be offered to Etihad’s guests on selected flights from Abu Dhabi in the first quarter of 2021.

If successful, the pass will be extended to other destinations on the Etihad network.

The IATA Travel Pass will enable Etihad’s guests to create a ‘digital passport’ to receive Covid-19 test results and verify they are eligible to undertake their journey.

Importantly, IATA Travel Pass will keep passengers in control of their data and facilitate the sharing of their test with airlines and authorities for travel.

It will also make it convenient for passengers to manage travel documentation throughout their journey.

“Covid-19 tests and vaccinations will be key to get the world flying again.

“Since August, Etihad is the only airline requiring a pre-departure negative PCR test result for all passengers worldwide, and again on arrival in Abu Dhabi, giving our guests the added assurance of safety when they travel with us.

“A high priority for Etihad is for our guests to have an easy, secure and efficient way to identify and verify their information,” Mohammad Al Bulooki, chief operating officer, Etihad Aviation Group.

Etihad has been actively exploring the roll out of digital health certification for its guests, and this latest partnership with IATA, alongside similar programmes the airline has in development, shows the technology is advancing quickly to make it a reality.