RwandAir set to issue IATA travel pass

RwandAir is set to become the first airline in Africa to offer the IATA travel pass. The IATA is a form of digital passport that will allow users to know if they are qualified to travel based on their documents and health information. 

The initiative was born out of the coronavirus pandemic that has killed millions of people around the world. Singapore airline is the first airline to test the IATA Travel pass. 

RwandAir says the IATA pass will help the company move past the pandemic 

The airline said the IATA trial run will help the company move past the pandemic and also help the company transition seamlessly into a post-covid-19 future. The test trial will begin in April and will be offered to a select few. The IATA app will its users obtain their COVID-19 test results and mark that they are authorized to travel. 

The IATA Travel Pass will also provide travelers with a “digital passport” filled with travel documents that will help airline authorities determine their eligibility to travel.

• Medical information one coronavirus test results 
• Certified insurance documents
• A verified online identity 

These are what the IATA travel pass app will contain. 

RwandAir CEO expresses pride over the company’s upcoming IATA trial run 

Yvonne Manzi Makolo, the chief executive officer of RwandAir, said the company feels honored to be the first African airline to test run the product. She added the IATA pass will assist airline authorities in enforcing the needed social distancing and health protocols needed in our current climate. 

Makolo said the IATA pass will not only help the company resume its flight operations, but it would also ensure the safety of its passengers. She praised the ingenuity of the app, especially its easy-to-use interface that allows authorities to share information easily. 

Makolo concluded by saying RwandaAir is ready  “to be part of IATA’s Industry Advisory Panel to ensure we guide the technology development in a way that covers the unique requirements of our passenger profile”.