Digital health pass and COVID-19 vaccinations are expected to be mandatory to fly with Qantas when international borders reopen.
The Qantas Group has confirmed it’s working with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to rollout a digital health pass when regular Qantas and Jetstar international flights resume.
Following recent trials of several digital solutions, Qantas is confident that the IATA Travel Pass offers a convenient and secure method for customers to verify COVID test results and vaccination information with border or health officials and airline staff.
The health pass app also connects customers to certified testing labs, so that results can be uploaded to the platform. Customers can then show they have a vaccine certificate and/or proof of a negative COVID test result before their flight.
Importantly, the IATA Travel Pass matches a customer’s health information against a specific flight. The app checks the entry requirements for the country they are travelling to and provides clearance to travel on that flight, to both the customer and airline.
“We want to get our international flights back in the air and our people back to work and a digital health pass will be a key part of that,” says Qantas Group Chief Customer Officer, Stephanie Tully.
“Many Governments are already requiring proof of vaccine or a negative COVID test result for international travel. Even if it wasn’t a government requirement, Qantas has always been a leader in safety and we have a responsibility to our customers and crew,” says Tully.
In a Melbourne ABC radio station interview at the end of July, Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas Airways, reiterated that the airline would be making COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for all international travellers. “Internationally we absolutely will and that’s becoming a standard around the world,” said Joyce.
Many countries where Qantas and Jetstar operate to, including the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, have announced requirements of either a proof of vaccine or negative COVID test result to enter without quarantine.
“IATA Travel Pass delivers an advantage over other solutions in that the app enables travellers to create a digital ID derived from a government issued document such as a passport. This means that airlines and governments can have full confidence in the test/vaccine results both from a content and identity perspective. Being able to validate the vaccination status of Australians returning from overseas is critical to enable Australia’s four-phase national COVID response plan,” says IATA Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety and Security, Nick Careen.
Final development work is now underway to ensure the digital health pass is ready for use on Qantas and Jetstar international flights when they resume.