Air France has announced an expansion of trials of the AOKpass digital health app, which allows customers to carry a digital, secure and portable copy of medical records including Covid-19 test results.
The carrier initially trialled the app on flights from Paris CDG to Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe, and Fort-de-France in Martinique, and this has now been extended to include routes to and from Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The four-week trial sees passengers invited to participate on a voluntary basis, and those doing so will benefit from priority access at boarding, as well as priority passport control on arrival into Paris CDG.
Customers download the app from the Apple App, Google Play or Huawei App stores, and then book a PCR or LAMP test (depending on destination requirements) through one of the partner laboratories.
Results are sent on a PDF document along with a QR code, allowing it to be downloaded into the AOKpass app.
At the airport travellers are directed to dedicated lanes where they show the QR code as proof of their Covid-19 negative status.
Commenting on the news Alain Bernard, chief operating officer – Air France, said:
“Since the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis, we have been calling for a worldwide health-related standard.
“This new experimental programme is an example of what could become the standard for travel document verification in the future, and we are pleased to implement it with Air France partners.
“Collaboration between governments, airlines and airport authorities is essential to find solutions combining health safety with a smooth travel experience.”
Several other carriers have been trialling the AOKpass technology, including Etihad Airways on flights between Paris and Abu Dhabi.
It is one of a raft of “digital health passports” currently being trialled worldwide, as governments and airlines struggle try to promote travel in the Covid-19 era.
For a look at the pros and cons of so called “freedom passports”, and the different options being developed, see our recent features:
