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Virgin Atlantic trialling IATA Travel Pass on Barbados flights
Virgin Atlantic has partnered with IATA Travel Pass and TrustAssure to launch two separate, complementary trials to streamline customer journeys during Covid.
From 16 April the airline will start a one-month trial of the IATA Travel Pass on its London Heathrow-Barbados services, in collaboration with the Government of Barbados, which will accept the Pass at its border.
Customers travelling on flight VS131 from London Heathrow to Barbados will be invited to participate in the trial by downloading the IATA Travel Pass on their smartphone.
The IATA Travel Pass allows customers to verify that they meet the health criteria needed to travel between certain countries, with evidence of a negative Covid-19 test.
Future versions of the app will also incorporate vaccine records.
The app is currently being considered by governments around the world to support the restart of international travel at scale and Virgin Atlantic will seek approval from the UK Government to expand the trial.
The Hon. Senator Lisa Cummins, Barbados’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport, said: "Safe travel is integral to Barbados’ full return to tourism, and we welcome this progressive step which complements our already implemented public health protocols and programmes."
In further progress towards end-to-end digital health integration, from 29 March, customers travelling to Virgin Atlantic’s US destinations will be able to verify Covid-19 test results digitally, utilising artificial intelligence-based solution TrustAssure.
Each customer’s pre-departure test documentation can be securely uploaded via its mobile-optimised website, in advance of their flight, and validated using A.I., in less than two minutes.
It says the technology has already proven effective in development and trials by Virgin Atlantic’s joint venture partner, Delta Air Lines.
Once confirmed, customers receive a QR code with a green verification, meaning they can proceed quickly through check-in.
Both IATA Travel Pass and TrustAssure give users full control over how their personal information is shared, as the data is stored locally on their phone and not in any central database.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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