Right now, travelling with all the COVID-19-related requirements can be a challenge at the moment, especially because the rules change frequently and can vary from country to country. To solve this problem, KLM has launched a new service called ‘Upload@Home’. Etihad Airways recently launched a similar service called ‘Verified to Fly’.
With the documents pre-validated by the required destination with the help of ‘Upload@Home’ service, passengers can be sure in advance that their documentation is in order. Additionally, checking COVID-19 documents in advance can speed up the check-in process at the airport.
How does it work?
KLM’s online check of COVID-19 documents is now available for all KLM flights to Amsterdam, and for KLM flights from or via Amsterdam to Curaçao, Dubai, Lima, St Martin, Istanbul, Germany and Spain. The airline says that the number of destinations for which Upload@Home is available, is expected to increase in the near future.
Passengers who have booked a flight to one of these destinations and are eligible for this service will receive an invitation to participate. Passengers will have to collect the required documents and upload them up to five hours before departure. They will be sent the result by e-mail, usually within an hour. KLM staff performing the check are available between 06:00 and 22:00 CET.
Boet Kreiken, Executive Vice President, Customer Experience, KLM, said:
Travel is complicated at the moment, as countries set different entry requirements, which can also change quickly. It is important for KLM to unburden our customers as much as possible. That is why KLM’s COVID-19 check | Upload@Home was devised. This innovative service enables KLM customers to go to the airport with peace of mind, because they know for sure that they have the necessary COVID-19 travel documents in order.
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What to do once at the airport?
All passengers who need COVID-19-related travel documents for their journey can collect their boarding pass and check in their baggage at the check-in desk at the airport. If they have had their documents checked online via Upload@Home beforehand, all they need to do is show their passport or ID card and any visa. However, the carrier recommends to always bring hard copies of the required COVID-19-related documents with them to the airport, as customers may have to show them upon arrival at their destination.
Pieter Groeneveld, Senior Vice President, Digital, KLM, said:
KLM’s COVID-19 check | Upload@Home is a great example of how digitization and human work can go hand in hand to offer the customer the best possible experience. This innovative self-service was developed quickly and in-house. In the near future we will look at which new destinations we can offer Upload@Home to.
Participation in Upload@Home is free and voluntary. KLM says that with this innovative digital self-service, it wants to help its customers as best as possible with the complex entry regulations of the country of destination regarding COVID-19 travel documents.
Meanwhile, KLM recently announced that its Asia and Middle East network is now mostly restored. The airline has also announced six new intercontinental routes for winter season.
Featured image by KLM Newsroom
What do you think of KLM’s new Upload@Home service? Let me know in the comments section below.
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