The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Wednesday a digital travel pass for COVID-19 test results and vaccine certificates would be launched on the Apple platform in mid-April, according to Reuters.
The digital travel pass currently in the testing phase had been planned to be launched by the end of March.
IATA Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Alawadhi said the travel pass is expected to launch on the Apple platform around April 15 and after on the Android platform.
„The application will only achieve its success once airlines from different countries and airports adopt it,” said Alawadhi.
UK-based carrier Virgin Atlantic said it would trial the IATA app on its London to Barbados route from April 16. Barbados has said it will accept the pass at its border, one of the first countries to accept a digital pass instead of paper documentation.
IATA explained that the travel pass will help speed up check-ins.
„A huge amount of airlines have requested to be on board,” said Alawadhi.