Emirates has become the first airline in the world to implement the digital International Air Transport Association's (IATA) Travel Pass to all of its destinations.

Following successful trials in April to select routes from its Dubai hub, Emirates expanded the pilot to 12 routes in June. The airline then signed a contract with IATA to implement the solution across its global network.

The IATA Travel Pass is currently available to Emirates customers travelling from 50 cities; the roll-out to all 120 Emirates destinations is expected to be completed by October.

“Emirates continues to invest in technology and solutions, like IATA Travel Pass, so that we can deliver smooth journeys and contactless experiences for our customers while enabling our airport teams to handle document checks efficiently and in compliance with regulatory requirements”, Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer said.

“We are pleased to partner with IATA on the IATA Travel Pass solution, from early pilot trials to full implementation, and we will continue to work closely with IATA on enhancements to facilitate even more secure and smoother journeys for travellers,” Redha added.

Nick Careen, IATA Senior Vice President Operations, Safety and Security said: “Emirates’ implementation of IATA Travel Pass across its global network cements its role as a key tool in managing the complex myriad of health credentials required for travel. By providing passengers with a one-stop-shop to demystify, manage and process these credentials through a secure automated process, they can arrive at the airport ready-to-fly using automated processes. This will avoid queuing and congestion for document checks - to the benefit of travellers, airlines, airports and governments.”

Travellers can access over 1,500 COVID-19 test labs via the IATA Travel Pass app, and this number continues to grow. EU and UK citizens can register their vaccine certificate on the app, and work is underway to enable a broader range of verified digital travel documents to be linked or uploaded to the app. Travellers can download the app and register themselves using their passports.

Future improvements include enabling customers to share their COVID-19 vaccination certificates and test results before they reach the airport. These certificates will be automatically reflected in Emirates’ check-in systems to facilitate a smooth and hassle-free airport experience.

As international borders reopen and travel restrictions ease, Emirates has resumed passenger services to over 120 destinations and currently operates 6 weekly passenger flights from Ha Noi and HCM City to Dubai. — VNS