Indonesian flag carrier Garuda Indonesia will trial the implementation of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Pass, an app to authenticate travel health credentials required for international travels as borders reopen. The IATA Travel Pass trial will commence from August 30 to September 13, 2021.
In the initial phase, IATA Travel Pass will be offered to Garuda Indonesia passengers on the return flights of GA874/GA875 between Jakarta and Haneda. With the trial, Garuda Indonesia will become the first Indonesian airline to trial IATA Travel Pass mobile app to its passengers, to help them manage their COVID-19 digital health credentials in line with government requirements seamlessly, particularly for those who will embark on international flights.
IATA Travel Pass is a digital app that enables its users to save and manage COVID-19 tests and vaccination certificates easily and securely. Through the IATA Travel Pass, Garuda Indonesia passengers can easily obtain information on the COVID-19 requirements of the destination, as well as the locations of accredited laboratories that provide COVID-19 tests. Furthermore, the app will also enable passengers to create a “digital passport” to manage these required travel documents.
Garuda Indonesia President & CEO Irfan Setiaputra said that the airline is proud to be the first in Indonesia to be entrusted to trial the IATA Travel Pass. He added that the trial holds a significant meaning in preparing the airlines and the aviation industry at large, as countries all over the world gradually ease their border restrictions. Moreover, the IATA Travel Pass trial is also part of Garuda Indonesia’s efforts to remain adaptive amid the challenging times, including by optimizing the airline’s digital service.
“We understand that the new normal era has changed the travel pattern of international travelers. The trial of IATA Travel Pass is our effort to provide added value for our passengers by providing ease, safety, and comfort in international travels through a more seamless service, particularly during the adjustment period for the new normal,” Irfan said.
Irfan added, “The collaboration with IATA is not only a form of Garuda Indonesia’s support towards national economic recovery, but also extends to the global aviation industry, through various innovations and collaborations with multiple partners, including IATA–as the international air transport association–to resume the connectivity between countries. We hope that the trial of the digital app will not only provide ease for the passengers, but at the same time also provides certainty for the countries of destination regarding the validity of the required health credentials as mandated by local authorities.”
Irfan further explained that through the implementation of strict health protocol across the business operations of the airline, as well as the optimization of the digital-based services such as IATA Travel Pass, Garuda Indonesia is optimistic that the trial will fulfill the passengers’ expectations and needs, while also boosting the public confidence in air travel quality, especially with the rollout of an integrated travel documents verification system. “We believe that the IATA Travel Pass trial will accelerate our effort to integrate travel documents, including health certificates, digitally with our existing app, FlyGaruda,” Irfan added.
Passengers can easily download the IATA Travel Pass app directly to their mobile devices through iOS and Google Play Store. After the download, passengers may then create an account within the app by filling in personal information digitally, including their photo and passport. Passengers will also be able to obtain comprehensive information on the COVID-19 requirements for their flight destination, by filling in the information regarding their travel plan within the IATA Travel Pass. Furthermore, IATA Travel Pass users will also have a full control over their personal information as it will be stored locally in their mobile devices, not in a central database.
“We look forward to working with Garuda Indonesia to trial IATA Travel Pass and demonstrate that digital health apps can securely, conveniently and efficiently help manage passenger travel health credentials. This is an important step towards enabling international travel during the pandemic, giving governments the confidence that travelers are meeting all COVID-19 entry requirements,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety and Security.
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