SpiceJet has announced that it will conduct trials of the IATA (International Air Transport Association) Travel Pass.
Starting 23rd August 2021, SpiceJet will start the trials of IATA Travel Pass on flights between Mumbai and Malé, Maldives. The travel pass will manage and verify the passenger’s COVID-19 status in line with the governments’ health and border requirements.
Furthermore, Spicehealth, the healthcare arm of Spicejet, has been onboarded by IATA as a lab partner for the trials of the Travel Pass.
Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet, said:
Spicejet is proud to collaborate with IATA to trial IATA’s Travel Pass initiative. Passenger safety and comfort has always been our top priority and the introduction of the Travel Pass will make the verification process absolutely simple and hassle-free, boost both passenger and government confidence and make international travel more efficient and secure. I am happy that IATA has confirmed Spicehealth labs for the Travel Pass trial enabling it to securely share certified test and vaccination certificates with passengers that will be recognised by governments abroad.
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Nick Careen, Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety, and Security, IATA, said:
Adding Spicejet to the growing list of airlines trialling IATA Travel Pass is another step towards demonstrating to governments how digital solutions can effectively manage both Covid-19 vaccine and test certificates for travel. IATA Travel Pass will simplify and enhance compliance with health requirements for SpiceJet’s passengers, facilitating a more seamless experience.
According to an official report, Spicehealth has conducted more than 3.5 million RT-PCR tests since its launch in November 2020. Spicehealth laboratories are accredited by National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Spicehealth presently operates 21 labs and collection centres for RT-PCR and rapid antigen testing spread across 11 cities in India. Besides, the company also operates seven vaccination centres across five states.
SpiceJet will be second airline in India to trial the IATA Travel Pass, with the first being Indigo. Indigo will start the trials of IATA Travel Pass tomorrow (20th August 2021).
Meanwhile, SpiceJet recently announced 42 new domestic and international flights including flights to Maldives as the country is now welcoming travellers from India. The airline has also announced flights from Hyderabad to Kochi; from Hyderabad to Visakhapatnam and Guwahati and between Belagavi and Delhi. SpiceJet yesterday announced five new flights from Guwahati. A few days ago, the airline announced 10 new flights including flights between Bhavnagar and Surat. SpiceJet passengers can now book airport transfers inflight on Spicescreen.
Featured image by Planespotters
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