The International Air Transport Association (IATA) will issue passports on blockchain with information on human health, COVID-19 testing and vaccination status.
The introduction of blockchain passports could reopen international traffic and ease current global quarantine restrictions, according to a statement by the International Air Transport Association. The “medical” passport will be stored in the user’s smartphone in the application, and the first real testing is planned for February.
IATA Travel Pass gives travelers complete control over their data. The app will also act as a two-way communication tool that communicates information to the relevant regulators, vaccination centers and airlines. At the moment, four major airlines have joined the program. Singapore Airlines and British Airways plan to begin the first phase of testing in February, while Etihad and Emirates will become test participants in April.
Alan Murray Hayden, IATA’s Head of Airport, Passenger and Security Products, praised the use of the “powerful” blockchain in the scheme. He added that today this is one of the few implementations of the technology that has a clear positive effect:
“This is the beauty of the technology we use. It gives the passenger complete control over their data. There is no central database and no one can hack it. The passenger owns their data and shares it with the airline. This is probably one of the first examples of blockchain adoption where it benefits people on this scale. ”
The Travel Pass will include four main interactive components: a digital passport module, a Lab app that lets you send data securely through testing labs and the app itself, a global registry of vaccination centers, and a global registry of current medical requirements for international travelers.
Etihad passengers departing from Abu Dhabi will be able to use the first digital passports in the first quarter of 2021.
Recall that in May last year, three European companies teamed up to develop a system based on the COVID-19 Health Passport blockchain, which will help governments track the population’s immunity to the virus.
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