Qantas to roll out digital health pass for international flights

Qantas has confirmed it will roll out a digital health pass in the form of a free app when international flights resume amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

The IATA Travel Pass, which is in the final development stages, can securely store customers COVID-19 test results and vaccine information, uploaded directly by testing labs to be shown to health officials and airline staff before a flight

According to a statement by the airline, the information could be matched against the customer's specific flight and the entry requirements of the destination country.

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Several countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, have announced they will require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test result to enter without quarantine.

Qantas says it tested several digital options across its international repatriation flights in recent months before settling on the IATA Travel Pass developed with the International Air Transport Association.

Qantas Group Chief Customer Officer Stephanie Tully said the pass will be a "green light to fly internationally".

"We want to get our international flights back in the air and our people back to work and a digital health pass will be a key part of that," Ms Tully said.

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According to IATA, the traveller would have to use a government-issued ID such as a passport to create their digital ID.

"Being able to validate the vaccination status of Australians returning from overseas is critical to enable Australia's four-phase national COVID response plan announced earlier this month," IATA Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety and Security, Nick Careen said.

When Scott Morrison announced the government's four-phase plan earlier this month, he flagged a form of vaccine passport would likely be part of phase four, when life returns largely back to normal on the back of high levels of vaccination.

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