On June 17, Air France started trialling the Iata Travel Pass on flights from New York JFK and Barcelona Airport to Paris-Charles de Gaulle, in the quest to streamline the checking of COVID-19 test results.
The Iata Travel Pass app is available on smart phones and enables travellers to check up on the latest COVID-19-related entry requirements for their country of destination. The results of COVID-19 tests performed at partner laboratories are sent directly to the app, and securely stored so that the passenger can demonstrate to airlines and authorities that they meet the relevant entry requirements.
This trial is free of charge for Air France customers and is offered on a voluntary basis. It is open to passengers on Air France-operated flights from New York JFK with Paris their final destination until July 8, and from Barcelona BCN until June 30.
The Iata Travel Pass meets the strictest data protection requirements, according to Air France, and the user’s health details remain on the app. These are neither transmitted nor are they centrally stored, and the user has total control over all their personal data.
The Iata Travel Pass is not the only travel pass in use by the airline. Passengers travelling to Corsica and the French Overseas Departments from Paris Orly airport are able to present the state-issued TousAntiCovid app, which holds their proof of vaccination and the results of a COVID-19 test. Air France says this pass will be compatible with the European Green Pass, which will come into force on July 1.
Alain-Hervé Bernard, coo – Air France, said: “We are continuously calling for worldwide co-ordinated and harmonised health standards and standardised travel documents to facilitate deployment of digital tools and provide our customers with a smooth and safe customer journey. The full integration of a digital solution in the passenger journey is a key condition for the resumption of international travel.”
