Air NZ trials digital health app

NEWS - eHealthNews.nz editor Rebecca McBeth

Air New Zealand is one of the first airlines globally to begin trialling a digital Travel Pass app on its Auckland-Sydney route in April.

Developed by International Air Transport Association (IATA), customers will be able to create a digital health wallet linked to their e-passport. When travellers have been tested and/or vaccinated, accredited labs will be able to securely send data to the person’s app.

The app checks requirements for travel against the data and customers who meet those travel requirements will be given the green tick to travel.

The IATA website says governmentswill need to decide the accreditation criteria for labs and test centres and IATA will register them.

“Covid-19 test results and vaccination details are sent from the registered laboratory to the passenger’s phone as a verifiable credential,” it says.

“As such it is not possible for the passenger to tamper with this data. There are also checks put in place to ensure the passengers identity to avoid transferring test results to a new person.”

Air NZ is in conversation with the government about lab accreditation and expects to have an announcement on this next month.

The trial will run for three weeks once the new app becomes available in app/android stores in April and both aircrew and customers will be invited to join the trial. 

Air New Zealand chief digital officer Jennifer Sepull says the goal is to enable customers to seamlessly manage their digital travel documentation.

"Once borders reopen, travel is going to look very different, with customers' health data needing to be verified at check-in,” she says. 

“It's essentially like having a digital health certificate that can be easily and securely shared with airlines. This will give customers peace of mind that they meet all travel requirements for the different countries around the world before they even get to the airport.”

IATA's senior vice president airport, passenger, cargo and security, Nick Careen says the app has been developed with the highest levels of data privacy and security, so passengers always remain in control of their health information.

There is no central database storing personal information, which is shared at the travellers' discretion, in a safe and secure way.

"Air New Zealand's trial of IATA Travel Pass will help give governments the confidence to re-open borders and passengers the confidence to travel,” he says.

If you would like to provide feedback on this news story, please contact the editor Rebecca McBeth.

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