Ethiopian Airlines is to trial the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Pass, a digital travel mobile app to enhance efficiency in testing or vaccine verifications and restart travel.

The IATA Travel Pass initiative helps verify the authenticity of test information presented by travelers which is essential for ensuring the safety of passengers while complying with entry requirements of countries.

A statement issued from the Airline said as travel restarts, travelers needed accurate COVID-19-related information like testing and vaccine requirements which varied among countries.

The statement said in future it would also manage vaccine certificates for travel.

It said the Airline had gone digital in all of its operations to avoid physical contact and combat the spread of the pandemic and now "we embark on this initiative which will allow our passengers to relish unparalleled flight experience."

Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, said, “Digital technology is vital to solve many of the problems that arise from the pandemic."

He said the Airline was glad that they were offering new digital opportunities to their passengers so as to fully and safely restart air travel.

"Our customers will enjoy efficient, contactless and safer travel experience with their travel pass digital passport. As a safety first airline, we are going to be among the first to implement IATA’s travel pass initiative to facilitate travel," he added.

The new initiative will increase travelers’ confidence in travel, encourages governments to reopen their borders and expedites industry restart."

The Travel Pass will also help create a digital passport, receive test and vaccination certificates and verify that they are sufficient for their route, and share testing or vaccination certificates with airlines and authorities to facilitate travel.

He said the digital travel app would avoid fraudulent documentation and make air travel more convenient.

Mr Alexandre de Juniac, IATA Director General and CEO, said, “Ethiopian Airlines is helping to lay the foundation for a re-connected world in which health credentials—COVID-19 test results to vaccination certificates—will play a role.

IATA Travel Pass securely enables travelers to control verified health credential data while sharing it with airlines and authorities as may be required in the travel process. That’s going to be vitally important when governments are able to re-open borders for travel.

As an IATA Travel Pass trial partner, Ethiopian Airline customers will be among the first to experience its benefits.”