Aviation Getting Ready

The aviation industry is already making critical progress to be ready.

The IATA Travel Pass responds exactly to the need for reliable testing and vaccination certificates verified against the traveler’s itinerary. This will be particularly useful in furthering the recommendation for digital solutions. IATA Travel Pass will help prevent fraud and provide a framework for airlines to securely and efficiently manage COVID-19 travel credentials that governments could easily tap into. With aver a billion doses of the vaccine administered already and a growing number of countries welcoming vaccinated travelers, a system to globally recognize digital vaccine certificates is becoming even more critical.

The UNWTO/IATA Destination Tracker will give travelers the confidence to plan travel knowing the measures that are in place and requirements to travel.

Momentum

The G20 agreements add important support to the building momentum to restore travel. Developments in recent weeks include the following:

A travel bubble opened between Australia and New Zealand
The European Commission and the European Parliament each announced efforts to welcome vaccinated travelers, and travelers from low-incidence countries to Europe
The UK is pursuing the gradual resumption of international travel from 17 May
Italy announced it was planning to implement the European ‘Green Certificate’ in May to facilitate opening borders, and
France is planning to reopen its borders to international tourists with a “health pass” from 9 June.

“While these are all important steps that build momentum towards re-opening the travel and tourism sector, we need more. People want to fly and exercise the freedom to travel that has been denied by government restrictions. But expensive testing requirements will make travel unaffordable for many, weakening the boost to economies that will occur when borders are reopened. That shouldn’t be allowed to happen. Simple, efficient, and affordable programs will be needed to manage the testing and vaccine verification regimes that will underpin a safe restoration of the freedom of mobility,” said Walsh.