Singapore has accepted the use of the IATA Travel Pass as a valid form of Covid-19 status certification for entry into the country.
The announcement is part of an ongoing collaboration between the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and the International Aviation Transport Association (IATA).
From May 1, passengers travelling to Singapore will be able to share their pre-departure Covid-19 PCR test results at check-in with their airline, and on arrival at Changi airport. According to IATA, travellers to Singapore should check that the pass is eligible with the airline they are using.
This news comes after the first successful trial of the app by Singapore Airlines on a flight from Singapore to London in March.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, commented on the news:
“Having the confidence of an aviation leader like Singapore accept IATA Travel Pass is hugely significant. Ongoing trials put us on track for IATA Travel Pass to be a critical tool for the industry’s restart by delivering verified travel health credentials to governments. And travelers can have complete confidence that their personal data is secure and under their own control. The success of our joint efforts will make IATA’s partnership with the government of Singapore a model for others to follow.”
Kevin Shum, Director General of CAAS, added:
“We have built upon our long standing and deep partnership with IATA to develop solutions to facilitate travel. This latest collaboration with IATA demonstrates our shared commitment to drive the adoption of digital health certificates and restore international air travel. As we look to safely rebuild the Changi air hub, we will continue to explore other solutions that can provide similarly secure and verifiable means of sharing health certificates for safe international travel.”
The digital health verification app has been under development since last year, and over 20 airlines have signed up for trials in the coming weeks and months.
For a look at the pros and cons of “vaccine passports”, and the different options being developed, see our recent features:
