05 July 2021: Aer Lingus will begin trialling digital travel solution, IATA (International Air Transport Association) Travel Pass, on flights from Amsterdam to Dublin from today, July 5th.

The IATA Travel Pass app can be downloaded onto a mobile device directly from the iOS App and Google Play store. Once downloaded, customers will create a secure account and will be presented with the entry requirements for their destination. Aer Lingus’ customers can then book a COVID-19 test with an approved provider* and the results will be automatically uploaded into the app by the laboratory.

The app then checks that a customer meets the COVID-19 test entry requirements for their destination and will then notify the customer to let them know that they are ‘OK to travel’. The airline’s parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), has been working closely with IATA to co-develop the app that is now being successfully piloted by other global airlines, including British Airways and Iberia.

As Aer Lingus seeks the best solutions for its customers to ensure frictionless travel it has been progressing with a number of digital solutions in addition to the IATA Travel Pass, including VeriFLY which has been trialled on routes to and from the US and London Heathrow.

Lynne Embleton, Chairman and CEO, Aer Lingus said:

“We are committed to exploring ways to ensure that the customer journey is as frictionless as possible and sharing our learnings to help the travel industry take off again.

“We know that digital travel passes are part of the solution and they will also play a key role in offering those travelling the reassurance they need before they arrive at the airport.”

Willie Walsh, Director General, IATA said:

“Ireland is known around the world over for its hospitality. IATA Travel Pass can help Ireland move beyond the current harsh welcome of a stay in quarantine that is keeping visitors away, separating families and destroying jobs. The IATA Travel Pass is a digital solution to verify the COVID-19 testing and vaccination status of passengers. We look forward to a successful trial with Aer Lingus that should give the government the confidence it needs to re-open its borders and safely reclaim Ireland’s welcoming reputation.”

-Ends-

Notes to editors

*approved IATA travel pass test provider Unilabs Covid Service will be included in this pilot

What is IATA Travel Pass?

IATA Travel Pass is a mobile app that helps travellers to store and manage their verified certifications for COVID-19 tests and in future COVID-19 vaccinations.

IATA Travel Pass is built on verifiable credential technology, a new standard for digital identity that puts the individual in control of their data. Verifiable credentials allow individuals to hold identity documents (including COVID-19 test results), as digital 'credentials' in a secure smartphone 'digital wallet' app, and control when and with whom these credentials are shared. Unlike traditional identity models, the verifiable credential model is completely decentralised, meaning there is no data intermediaries and sensitive data is not stored on a centralised database.