Travel Industry News at TravelNewsAsia.com since 1997. Interviews, podcasts, videos, pictures and more
Fri, 29 January 2021

IATA DG: We Can See Light at the End of the Tunnel

IATA has called on governments to partner with the air transport industry to devise plans to safely re-link people, business and economies when the COVID19 epidemiological situation permits.

“We can see the light at the end of the tunnel as vaccination programs roll out,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO. “Turning this vision into a safe and orderly re-start will require careful planning and coordination by governments and industry. This will be challenging as the priority for the weeks and months ahead will be containing the spread of new variants. But even as the crisis deepens, it is important to prepare the way for a resumption of flights when the epidemiological situation permits. Understanding government policy benchmarks and agreeing the global standards needed to support a return to normality in travel will ensure that air transport is well-prepared and does not become a meaningful vector for reimportation. Airlines are ready to support governments in this task.”

IATA says it is already seeing some governments evolving principles in their testing/vaccination programs that could form the foundation for global harmonization. These include:

Wing of an Airbus A350-900. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com Click to enlarge.

Vaccinations: Most governments are pursuing a vaccination strategy that seeks to protect their health care workers and most vulnerable populations first. IATA suggests re-opening borders to travel when this has been achieved, as the greatest risks will have been mitigated.

The Vaccinated: The Greek government has proposed that vaccinated individuals should be immediately exempted from travel restrictions, including quarantine. IATA says it supports moves by governments, including Poland, Latvia, Lebanon and Seychelles, to implement this exemption.

Testing: Many governments are implementing testing regimes to facilitate travel. Germany and the US, for example, are taking advantage of the rapid improvement in testing technologies to accept PCR and antigen testing to safely manage the risks of travel. While rapid antigen tests are preferred for their speed and cost advantages, it is clear that PCR testing will play a role as many governments are requiring tests within a 48 to 72-hour window prior to travel.

Crew: The ICAO-CART guidance recommends that crew be exempt from testing processes and restrictions that are designed for passengers. IATA says it supports crew health management protocols which include, for example, regular testing and health checks at home bases, along with strict guidelines limiting interaction with the local community during crew layovers. This enables airlines to manage the risks of COVID19 while maintaining operational viability.

“There are plenty of moving parts in the equation. The number of people vaccinated, and the availability of testing are key among them. Airlines have adapted their operations in order to maintain cargo operations and some passenger services, while complying with the numerous and uncoordinated restrictions imposed. Building on this experience they can help governments with their preparations for eventually safely re-establishing global connectivity for their people, businesses and economies,” said de Juniac.

Underlying all scenarios for the re-establishment of air connectivity is the development of global standards so that the requirements of one country can be followed by travelers originating in other jurisdictions. Key global standards that are being developed include:

Vaccination Certificates: The WHO is leading efforts to build the standards needed to digitally record vaccination information that will be critical to re-establishing international travel. The Smart Vaccination Certificate will be the digital successor to the long-established “yellow book” used to manage vaccinations such as yellow fever.

Global Framework for Testing: The OECD is laying the foundation for a global framework to help governments trust testing data based on mutual recognition of testing results. The urgency of such a framework was demonstrated by the recent suspension of flights between the UAE and Denmark over concerns about the UAE’s testing regime. A trusted framework will ensure that travelers are not caught in the middle when governments do not recognize each other’s testing regimes. Standardizing the appropriate testing certificates is also essential.

Digital Travel Credential (DTC): ICAO has published standards to create a DTC from ePassports. Along with enabling contactless travel as recommended by ICAO-CART guidelines, the credentials are an essential component in digitally matching travelers to their vaccination and testing certificates. The standard exists and the challenge now is implementation.

“As we have seen, unilateral government decisions are very effective in shutting down global mobility. Re- establishing the freedom to travel, however, can only be done with cooperation. Governments are already seeing how challenging that will be without global standards for vaccines or tests. This puts a spotlight on the urgency of the essential work being done by WHO, OECD and ICAO. IATA is participating in these initiatives and stands ready to help governments with implementation,” de Juniac said.

IATA is building the information infrastructure it believes will help to safely re-start travel. The IATA Travel Pass is an industry solution designed to help governments, airlines and individual travelers manage vaccine or testing requirements with accurate information, secure identification and verified data.

The first pilot program to test the app in a real travel situation commenced with Singapore Airlines in December 2020. A growing list of airlines are confirming their intention to use IATA Travel Pass, including IAG, Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways.

“Based on our deep experience of driving transformational change in global air transport, we believe that IATA Travel Pass will offer the best support to governments in managing vaccination and testing data to safely facilitate travel. But the success of any of the solutions being developed will depend on governments working with and trusting each other. Air transport built its reputation on safety by cooperating with governments to ensure universal implementation of transparent global standards. That’s a compelling model for how industry and governments can work together to re-connect the world using opportunities created testing and vaccination progress,” said de Juniac.

See latest Travel Industry News, Video Interviews, Podcasts and other news regarding: COVID19, IATA, Air Travel, IATA Travel Pass.

Headlines: Mandarin Oriental Opens Special Hotel in Beijing, China  AirAsia to Launch Penang - Shenzhen and Kota Kinabalu - Shantou Flights  Boeing Forecasts Passenger and Cargo Needs of China's Aviation Industry  Air Corsica Takes Delivery of ATR's 1,700th Turboprop Aircraft  Minor Hotels to Open Anantara Resort Ubud Bali in October  Uruguayan Air Force to Add A-29 Super Tucano Aircraft to Fleet  Air Astana to Increase Flights to Phuket, Thailand; Signs Codeshare Deal with JAL  Hong Kong Airlines to Resume Long-Haul Flights with Seasonal Gold Coast Service  IHG Signs Two Hotels in Quang Binh, Vietnam  Marriott Opens Moxy Hotel in Mumbai, India  Torsten Richter Returns to Minor Hotels as AGM of Indonesia and Malaysia  Minor Set to Open World's Third NH Resort in Maldives  Asiana Airlines and Air Serbia Appoint APG as GSA  IndiGo to Launch New Delhi - Vijayawada Flights  Hong Kong Airport Reports Strong Increases in Cargo and Passenger Traffic  Delta Begins Rollout of Free Wi-Fi on Long-Haul International Routes  Thai AirAsia X to Resume Flights Between Bangkok and Sydney, Australia  Marriott Partners Sonder to Add Over 9,000 Rooms to Portfolio  IHG Opens Hotel Indigo in Bandung, Indonesia  IndiGo Enhances Operations with Aviobook, an Electronic Flight Folder from Thales  Boeing Invests in Wagner SAF Refinery in Brisbane, Australia  Aeroflot to Resume Flights Between Yekaterinburg and Bangkok, Phuket and Goa  Air Astana Takes Delivery of 56th Aircraft; Confirms Plan to Launch Phu Quoc Flights  Seibu Prince Rebrands Hotel in Singapore  airBaltic Appoints APG as GSA in Egypt  Korean Air and Delta Air Lines Partner Habitat for Humanity to Make a Difference in Cheonan  Air New Zealand, Garuda, Qantas and Singapore Airlines Begin UPR Trials on 38 Routes  Thai AirAsia Reports Q2 and H1 2024 Results; Confirms Full-Year Targets  EL AL Israel Airlines Finalises Deal for 31 Aircraft  Cebu Pacific to Launch Davao - Hong Kong and Iloilo - Singapore Flights  Poland to Become Largest Operator of Apache Combat Helicopters Outside of USA  Singha Estate Partners Ascott for Rebranding of Two Hotels in the United Kingdom  IndiGo to Launch Coimbatore - Singapore Flights; Increase Frequency of Select Services  Parveen Kumar Joins Grand Hyatt Jakarta as General Manager  Azerai Appoints Jimmy Tran as Group Director of Sales & Marketing  South Korea to Strengthen Airborne Surveillance and Reconnaissance Capabilities  AirAsia to Launch Flights from Kuala Lumpur to Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands  Virgin Australia to Replace Fokker 100s with Embraer E190-E2 Aircraft  Cross Adds Two Hotels in Bangkok, Thailand to Portfolio  airBaltic Exercises Options on 10 Airbus A220-300 Aircraft  Etihad to Increase Thailand Flights; Resume A380 Service to Singapore  Dusit Signs Hotel and Condo on Rama 3 Road in Bangkok, Thailand  Cape and Kantary Hotels to Expand Portfolio with Serviced Suites in Korat, Thailand  Thai Airways Reports Q2 and H1 2024 Results  China Airlines Extends Cargo Handling Contract with FCS  Goldfinch Becomes First Piloted Electric Aircraft to Fly at NASA's Langley Research Center  Rosewood Signs Luxury 33-Suite Resort in Exuma, Bahamas  British Airways Expands Codeshare with Bangkok Airways  Aeroflot Unveils Most Popular International Destinations in H1 2024  Marriott Executive Apartments Open on Sukhumvit Soi 49 in Bangkok, Thailand  Uday Rao Appointed RVP and GM of Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi in Japan  Cebu Pacific to Resume International Flights and Increase Domestic Services from Davao  CapitaLand Ascott Trust Secures OCBC 1.5°C Loan  Sabre Hospitality Enhances SynXis Booking Engine with Trip Protection Services  Cathay Pacific Orders 30 Airbus A330-900 Aircraft  Haytham Said Appointed GM of Four Seasons Hotel Miami  Hong Kong Airport Launches World's First Smartphone Express Bag Drop Service  Marriott Signs W Hotel in Hangzhou, China  IndiGo Selects Recaro's R2 and R5 Seats for New A321neo Aircraft  Scoot to Take Delivery of Jalan-Jalan and Travel Kaki E190-E2s in September and October  Ali Mohammed Appointed Regional Vice President and GM of Four Seasons Resort Orlando  Marriott Opens Fourth Executive Apartments Property in Bangkok, Thailand  AirAsia X to Resume Kuala Lumpur - Chongqing Flights  Norse Operates Non-Stop Charter Flight from Oslo to Darwin, Australia  Wyndham Reports Record H1 Growth in Asia Pacific  LOT Polish Airlines Takes Delivery of First Embraer E195-E2  Vietnam Airlines Takes Delivery of Fifth Boeing 787-10 Aircraft  Marriott Expands Executive Apartments Brand to Penang, Malaysia  AirAsia Group Expands Fleet with Four Airbus A321neo Aircraft  IATA Reports Latest Airline Passenger Traffic Data  China Airlines Signs SAF-Related MOU with Morrison Express  Fairfield by Marriott Hotel Opens in Terengganu, Malaysia  IATA Reports Latest Global Air Cargo Data  Marriott Opens Fifth Autograph Collection Hotel in Japan  Matthew Smith to Succeed Monique Arnoux as CEO of Destination Asia  American Airlines Renews Subscription to Prism  IndiGo to Increase Domestic Connectivity from Hyderabad and Ahmedabad  Shanghai Pudong Airport Installs 52 Kiosks and 14 Self-Service Bag Drops from SITA  Hong Kong Airport Handled 4.3 Million Passengers and 29,590 Flight Movements in June  Croatia Airlines Takes Delivery of First Airbus A220  Ryanair to Implement Boeing's Jeppesen FliteDeck Pro 5.0 EFB  Asia Pacific Airlines Carried 28.9 Million International Passengers in June  Singapore Changi Airport Reports Q2 2024 Traffic  Cat Wu Returns to Singapore as Executive Director of Revenue for Two Hotels  Langham Appoints Jack Xiao as Senior Vice President of Operations - China  NATO Selects Sikorsky X2 Rotorcraft for Integrated Platform Concept Study  Malaysia Airlines Expands Retailing Strategy with NDC Content on Travelport  Air Tahiti Orders Four ATR 72-600 Aircraft  AirAsia Airlines Implement Flight Tracking and Monitoring Solution from SITA  One Air to Expand Fleet with Third Boeing 747-400 Freighter  FCM Travel Expands Cytric Distribution Agreement with Amadeus  Cathay Pacific Expands 1 Ticket, 1 Tree Initiative to Include Cargo  Japan Airlines Confirms Order for 20 Airbus A350-900s and 11 A321neos  Embraer E190 Freighter Receives ANAC Type Certification  Libya's Berniq Airways Orders Six A320neo Family Aircraft  Qatar Airways Adds 20 Boeing 777-9 to Order Book  Accor Signs Raffles Hotel in Tokyo, Japan  Thai AirAsia to Launch Bangkok - Hyderabad and Phuket - Siem Reap Flights  Courtyard by Marriott Hotel Opens in Sapporo, Japan  Qatar Airways Unveils Qsuite Next Gen at Farnborough Airshow 2024  British Airways Increases Number of Funded Places in Speedbird Pilot Academy  Mandarin Oriental Signs Hotel and Residences in Bali, Indonesia  Minor Hotels Signs Dual-Branded Property in Yining, China  Korean Air Takes Delivery of First Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner  Two Senior Promotions at IHG Asia Pacific  Airbus A321XLR Powered by CFM LEAP-1A Engines Receives EASA Type Certification  Thai AirAsia X to Relocate All Flight Operations to Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok  New Dusit Thani Bangkok Hotel to Open 27 September 2024  CWT Upgrades Airfare Optimization Service with AI and Machine Learning  Small Luxury Hotels of the World Returns to India with MRS Group Partnership  SATS and SF Group Sign MOU to Expand Global Footprint  Thai AirAsia to Launch Don Mueang - Lampang Flights  Hong Kong Welcomed 3.13 Million Visitor Arrivals in June 2024  China Airlines Launches Direct Flights Between Taipei and Seattle, USA  London Heathrow Airport Expands Partnership with SITA  bp Partners Audi Formula 1 Team  Qantas Launches Non-Stop Flights Between Perth and Paris, France  SITA Reports Record Results; Future of Air Travel Interview with Sumesh Patel, President, SITA Asia Pacific  Miss International Queen 2024 - Video Interview with MD of Tiffany's Show Pattaya  High-Speed Fun in Denmark! HD Video Interview with Aarhus Sea Rangers  16 Exclusive HD Video Interviews from Routes Europe 2024 in Aarhus, Denmark  9 Exclusive HD Video Interviews from Routes Asia 2024 in Langkawi, Malaysia  9 Exclusive Video Interviews with VIPs at ASEAN Tourism Forum 2024 in Vientiane, Laos  8 NTO Press Conferences from the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2024 in Vientiane, Laos  13 Exclusive HD Video Interviews from World Travel Market 2023 in London, England  5 Exclusive HD Video Interviews from APG World Connect 2023 in Monaco, France  15 Exclusive HD Video Interviews from Routes World 2023 in Istanbul, Türkiye  Electric Airport Taxis at Almaty Airport in Kazakhstan - Video Interview with Co-Founder  Pictures from Miss International Queen 2023 Transgender Beauty Pageant in Pattaya, Thailand  Exclusive Video Interviews with 17 Miss International Queen 2023 Contestants  Living With One Eye - Six Years On by Steven Howard  HD Videos and Interviews  Podcasts from HD Video Interviews  RSS Feed - Travel Industry News  Ticker - Travel Industry News  Travel Industry News Archives  Travel Trade Shows  High-Res Picture Galleries  Travel News Asia - Latest Travel Industry News 

Subscribe to our Travel Industry News RSS Feed Travel Industry News RSS Feed from TravelNewsAsia.com. To do that in Outlook, right-click the RSS Feeds folder, select Add a New RSS Feed, enter the URL of our RSS Feed which is: https://www.travelnewsasia.com/travelnews.xml and click Add. The feed can also be used to add the headlines to your website or channel via a customisable applet. Have questions? Please read our Travel News FAQ. Thank you.

     
Advertising
Advertising
Copyright © 1997-2024 TravelNewsAsia.com