The CEO of Australian airline Qantas, Alan Joyce, believes that once the coronavirus vaccine becomes available, proof of its application will become a requirement when boarding a plane bound for an international destination, the same as it is with a passport and boarding pass now.
Oneworld, Star Alliance and SkyTeam, three global airline alliances, have stated that the tests could be part of a global approach to boost international travel, reduce reliance on quarantines and slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Qantas’ CEO believes that vaccines will not only be needed for people coming to and leaving Australia, but also for people around the world. “After talking to my colleagues at other airlines around the world, I think it will be a common thing.”
Joyce said that the Sydney to Melbourne route was opening again, and that many Australians would be able to see loved ones for Christmas. “Aussies love to travel, the two cities are well connected,” he said. “We went from 45 flights a day before Covid, to one flight a day.”
The new testing guidelines from the United Nations International Civil Aviation Authority could pave the way for establishing a framework of trust between countries, according to Star Alliance CEO Jeffrey Goh in the joint statement published on the oneworld website.
The alliances, representing nearly 60 airlines, cited recent trials of the CommonPass digital health passport, which uses a smartphone application to securely verify that passengers have complied with health requirements, whether it is an anti-coronavirus test or a future vaccine.
