SIA to pilot IATA's travel pass app

This marks the second phase of SIA’s digital health verification process trials.

Singapore Airlines will be the first airline in the world to use the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Travel Pass mobile application for digital health verification, starting with passengers travelling from Singapore to London from 15 to 28 March.

Passengers with mobile phones running on Apple’s iOS operating system will be invited to download the IATA Travel Pass app, and create a digital ID comprising their profile photo and passport information. They can also insert their flight information into the app.

Subsequently, they can book their pre-departure COVID-19 test at one of seven participating clinics in Singapore via a dedicated online portal. They can then register at the clinic using the digital ID and flight information in the app. They will be able to view their test results, as well as a confirmation status to fly, directly on the app. IATA’s Timatic registry will provide the back-end information on the COVID-19 testing and entry requirements.

Travellers will need to show their confirmed status in the app to the check-in staff in Changi Airport before flight departure. In line with current regulatory requirements, they will also need to bring a physical copy of their health certificate that is issued by the clinic where they took their COVID-19 test.

According to SIA, by consolidating the verification of health credentials into a single app, participants can expect a faster and more seamless check-in process. Participants will also have full control over how their personal information is shared, as the data is stored locally in the mobile phone and not in any central database.

The success of this pilot is expected to pave the way for the integration of the entire digital health verification process into the SingaporeAir mobile app from around mid-2021 using IATA’s Travel Pass framework.