Etihad begins IATA Travel Pass trials on flights from Abu Dhabi to North America

Etihad Airways passengers flying from Abu Dhabi to Chicago, New York, Washington and Toronto, from now until May 31, will be among the first customers of the airline to trial the IATA Travel Pass app.

The IATA Travel Pass will enable users to create a ‘digital passport’ to receive Covid-19 test results and verify if they are eligible to undertake their journey.

Importantly, IATA Travel Pass will keep passengers in control of their data and facilitate the sharing of their test with airlines and authorities for travel.

The airline said that its passengers participating in the IATA Travel Pass pilot will benefit from priority queue access at Life Diagnostics and Biogenix Labs for their PCR test, faster check-in at the airport and a free 90MB Wi-Fi voucher to use in-flight.

Guest who do not wish to participate in the trial can continue to follow the existing method of sharing PCR test results with Etihad by presenting a printed copy of their results at check in.

To participate in the trial, passengers flying from Abu Dhabi to the above mentioned cities, must download the IATA Travel Pass app and book an appointment with Life Diagnostics at Sultan Bin Zayed the First Street or BioGenix Labs at Masdar City.

At the clinic, guests should inform the reception they are participating in the IATA Travel Pass trial and should present their passport and mobile device with the IATA Travel Pass app downloaded on it. Once the test result is ready, travellers will be able to view it on both the IATA Travel Pass app and through the testing clinic’s own digital platform.

“Etihad has partnered with IATA so that together, a globally unified approach to a travel pass can be simplified to make travel easier once governments decide what regulations are required to cross borders in either direction,” said Mohammad Al Bulooki, COO at Etihad Aviation Group.

Nick Careen, IATA senior vice president for Airport, Passenger, Cargo and Security, added: “Etihad Airways trial of IATA Travel Pass will help build confidence among governments and travellers that digital health apps can safely, securely and conveniently help restart aviation. The app gives travellers a one-stop-shop to help them comply with the new rules for travel, and for governments complete assurance in the identity of the passenger and the authenticity of the travel credentials being presented.”

Another UAE carrier, Dubai-based Emirates too commenced trials of IATA Travel Pass from April 15 on select flights from Dubai to Barcelona and London Heathrow to Dubai.

Read: Dubai’s Emirates initiates trial of IATA Travel Pass