Singapore Airlines launches digital verification of coronavirus testing
Singapore Airlines (SIA) has commenced trials on a new digital health verification app to verify Covid-19 test results and vaccination status.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) has commenced trials on a new digital health verification app to verify Covid-19 test results and vaccination status.
The app will enable passengers to store and present information related to Covid-19 tests and vaccination in a secure manner.
The app is said to be based on the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Travel Pass framework.
The airline has started the trial with passengers on its flights from Jakarta or Kuala Lumpur.
Passengers who take Covid-19 tests at designated clinics in Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur will receive either digital or paper health certificates with a QR code.
In case of successful trails, SIA will consider extending the service to other cities.
By using a secure mobile app, airport check-in staff and Singapore’s immigration authority will be able to check the authenticity of these certificates.
Those without a digital certificate can instead present the paper version for manual verification.
The verification will be enabled by an application developed by tech firm Affinidi.
The process of digital verification is aimed at accelerating the airport check-in process and the immigration entry process into Singapore.
In addition, the carrier also has plans to integrate the entire process into the SingaporeAir mobile app from around mid-2021.
Singapore Airlines marketing planning acting senior vice president Ms JoAnn Tan said: “Covid-19 tests and vaccinations will be an integral part of air travel for the foreseeable future. We are offering a digital solution that allows the easy and secure verification of this information, and supports the industry’s safe and calibrated recovery from this pandemic.
“Using IATA’s robust Travel Pass framework would also provide our customers and governments with the assurance that they need about the security and authenticity of the test and vaccination information.”
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