Emirates Expands IATA Travel Pass Implementation, Partners with Alhosn

Emirates, one of the first global airlines to pilot the IATA Travel Pass in April, now offers the IATA Travel Pass solution to customers flying to 10 cities and plans to extend it to all routes across its network in the coming weeks. In addition, Emirates has also partnered with Alhosn, the official UAE app for COVID-19 related contact tracing and health documentation, to offer its customers greater convenience and smoother journeys.

Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer said: “Over the past months, we have really accelerated our biometric, contactless and digital travel verification projects to provide our customers with even greater convenience and assurance when they fly with Emirates. From our biometrics path at Dubai International (DXB) to initiatives like the IATA Travel Pass and integrations with the health authority databases, these projects deliver multiple benefits from better customer experiences to the reduced use of paper, and improved efficiency and reliability in travel document checks. We are grateful for the support from the authorities and our industry partners in the successful deployment of these projects which strengthen Emirates and Dubai’s world-leading aviation capabilities.”

Emirates customers flying between Dubai and the following cities: London, Barcelona, Madrid, Istanbul, New York JFK, Moscow, Frankfurt, Charles De Gaulle, and Amsterdam; can now use IATA Travel Pass to access the latest COVID-19 related travel information including the location of PCR test labs, and manage their COVID-19 travel documentation such as vaccination and latest PCR test results. Passengers on these flights will receive an SMS and email with the activation code and instructions on downloading the IATA Travel Pass app.

The airline is progressing on plans to roll-out the IATA Travel Pass solution across its global network.

Since trials began, Emirates has worked closely with IATA and its partners to enhance the IATA Travel Pass experience based on customer feedback. The IATA Travel Pass app is now available to both iOS and Android users, and can also be used by customers with non-biometric passports.

From July, Emirates will integrate the Alhosn app with its check-in systems, expanding on its existing integration with the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). This enables customers travelling from the UAE to benefit from the quick and convenient digital retrieval and verification of COVID-19 medical records, regardless of where in the UAE they had completed their vaccination, or COVID-19 PCR and antigen tests. Customers who opt to allow access their COVID-19 related health information via the Alhosn app for travel purposes can rest assured that once check-in formalities are completed, information related to their COVID-19 medical records will be immediately discarded from the Emirates systems.

Emirates customers can travel with confidence that every care has been taken to ensure their comfort and health, with comprehensive bio-safety protocols at every step of the journey, generous and flexible booking policies, and complimentary multi-risk travel insurance including COVID-19 cover with every flight.

The IATA Travel Pass is a digital solution developed by the airline industry body, the International Air Transport Association (IATA). It aims to provide governments, airlines, laboratories and passengers with up-to-date information on COVID-19 related regulations, and facilitate the secure flow of necessary information amongst all stakeholders.

Alhosn is a joint initiative between the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention and local health authorities and is endorsed by the National Authority for Emergency and Crisis Management. It is the official UAE COVID-19 results app and provides quick access to COVID-19 test results and vaccination information.