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The major changes coming to Qantas International
Boarding an international Qantas or Jetstar flight in the future is set to look different
Passengers travelling overseas with Qantas or Jetstar when international borders reopen will be required to carry a new “digital health pass”
The document will carry information about COVID-19 tests and vaccination status against the virus.
A day after Qantas appealed to the federal government to mandate Covid vaccinations for aviation workers, the airline has revealed what will be required of travellers in future
The travel pass developed by the International Air Transport Association has been trialled by Qantas on overseas repatriation flights this year.
The airline says it’s the most secure and convenient way to verify a passenger’s Covid status.
Delivered in the form of a free smartphone app, the pass allows vaccine certificates and proof of a negative Covid test from a certified testing lab to be uploaded before a flight.
The pass also ensures the passenger’s health information meets the requirements of the country to which they are travelling and provides them with the clearance to board the flight.
Qantas group chief customer officer Steph Tully said the digital health pass would be the key to getting international flights back into the air, and the airline’s employees back to work.
“Many governments are already requiring proof of vaccine or a negative Covid test result for international travel,”
“Even if it wasn’t a government requirement, Qantas has always been a leader in safety and we have a responsibility to our customers and crew.
“A digital health pass will connect customers with Covid testing facilities, health authorities and airlines, and ultimately enable the opening of more travel bubbles and borders.”
Already a number of countries where Qantas and Jetstar operate have announced requirements of either a proof of vaccine or negative Covid test result to enter without quarantine.