Travel industry leaders are coordinating efforts to create digital passports

The travel industry is working on a plan to ensure that the coronavirus vaccine is a rapid revival of domestic and international tourism and travel. Industry leaders are coordinating efforts to create digital passports that indicate whether passengers are vaccinated with COVID-19.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced this week that documents that are accepted around the world are in the final stages of development and can increase the credibility of vigilant travelers.

The Digital Health Pass contains passenger testing and vaccine information that manages and validates information among governments, airlines, laboratories, and travelers.

“Testing is the first key to enable travel abroad without quarantine measures. The second key is to securely manage, share and validate test data that matches the traveler’s identity in compliance with border control requirements. It’s the global information infrastructure needed for this, “said IATA CEO Alexandre de Juniac in a statement on Monday.

This pass allows travelers to find validated test centers and labs at their departure point that meet the criteria and requirements of their destination to circumvent quarantine rules and travel restrictions.

Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca announced on Monday that vaccine candidates developed by the University of Oxford are on average 70% effective, but could be as high as 90%. The other two vaccines, one from Moderna and the other from Pfizer and BioNTech, both recently reported an efficacy rate of 95%.

When asked about how airlines handle vaccine deployments, such as how to know if someone has been vaccinated, Airlines for America, which represents major commercial airlines, does not give a direct response. , The US airline just said it was “committed”. Restoring services in a way that prioritizes the safety and well-being of passengers and employees. “

Australian Airlines Qantas Reportedly Plan to require passengers to be vaccinated before international flights. CEO Alan Joyce recently said he thinks other carriers should follow suit.

A US airline that has been lobbying for another COVID-19 bailout package for months says it can help the federal government with the distribution of vaccines.

“When the country looks forward to distributing vaccines and tackles logistical challenges, it is possible to ensure that the service has sufficient certified employees and planes necessary for sufficient capacity to complete the task. It’s important, “the CEOs of several major airlines wrote to Congressional leaders this month.

With passenger numbers 65% below 2019 levels, all types of relief, including government support, testing protocols and vaccines, are most welcomed by airlines.

Thanksgiving holidays, which are usually a major source of income for the travel industry, become more difficult after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issues warnings about travel, as cases of coronavirus are skyrocketing in almost every region of the country. became.

The busiest air travel day in the coronavirus pandemic was the Sunday before Thanksgiving, when nearly 1.05 million passengers were screened at US airports.

But that was far from the level seen in the previous year.

“We are in this situation due to a lack of leadership from the U.S. government. It’s been eight months and there is no cohesive program,” said Peter Vlitas, Senior Vice President of Airlines at Internova Travel Group. I am.

The group claims that international travel can be resumed if strict protocols are in place.

“There is no contact information to follow national policy. If you fly to the UK, you need to fill out a form. If you fly to Greece, you need to fill out a form. In many countries, you need to fill out a form. Fill in. In addition to the standard, do you have a fever … we don’t have the simplest one, “Vlitas said.

Last month, a travel industry group Called The Trump administration has pursued an approach to COVID-19 testing that eliminates the need for quarantine and travel bans.

The letter included the American Travel Association, the American Hotel & Accommodation Association, and the American Chamber of Commerce, stating that the patchwork approach was “confusing and discouraging travel.” thehill.com