Passengers traveling with British Airways between London and the USA from February 4 will be able to use the digital health passport VeriFLY to check they meet the entry requirements of their destination by providing digital health document verification and confirming eligibility.
British Airways is the first airline in the UK to trial the use of a mobile travel health passport for customers traveling from London and is the only airline outside the USA to offer its customers the opportunity to trial VeriFLY. Use of the app is optional and customers will also continue to be able to provide evidence that they meet the US entry requirements at check-in.
Sean Doyle, British Airways’ CEO, said, “Although flying is currently restricted, it is essential that we do as much as we can now to help those who are eligible to fly, and prepare to help our customers navigate the complexities around changing global entry requirements when the world reopens.
“We remain focused and committed to finding user-friendly, evidence-based solutions to make journeys as seamless they can be,” he added. “Through these trials, we hope to provide travelers and governments on both sides of the Atlantic with the tools and the reassurance they need to make safe travel possible.”
VeriFLY’s software enables people to combine travel verification documents and Covid-19 test results in one place, ensuring travelers are fully compliant with the entry requirements for their destination before leaving home. Certified customers will be fast-tracked through the airport where specially designated desks will be available for check in.
VeriFLY can be downloaded to a customer’s mobile device and after creating a secure profile, the platform prompts customers to confirm their flight information, upload details of a negative Covid-19 test result and any other essential documentation. The software confirms the test matches the country’s regulations with a simple ‘Pass’ or ‘Fail’ message. VeriFLY will also provide users with reminders once the credential has expired.
Other digital health passports currently being trialled on the market are the V-Health Passport from VST Enterprises, CommonPass by Swiss non-profit The Commons Project Foundation and the IATA Travel Pass. Find out more about the IATA Travel Pass in the April 2021 issue of Passenger Terminal World magazine, coming soon!
