Air Asia develops digital health pass

Air Asia has launched its digital health pass, Scan2Fly, to streamline health document checks and determine eligibility to travel.

Developed in partnership with analytics company GrayMatter, Scan2Fly has already launched on routes from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, Surabaya, and Jakarta. About 4 in 10 passengers on these flights are already using the system, according to the airline.

Scan2Fly will enable passengers to scan and upload medical certificates at the time of online check-in. Entry documentation required by the destination country, including Covid-19 test certificates, is verified in real-time. The airline said the technology, which helps travelers minimize contact with airport staff, will eventually be rolled out to other Air Asia destinations.

Javed Malik, chief operating officer at Air Asia Group said:

“Covid-19 gave us the opportunity to fast track numerous new technologies to make flying not only safe and affordable but also more hygienic and contactless. We believe this innovation, alongside numerous others that we are rolling out across Air Asia Group, will help restore consumer confidence and stimulate future air travel.”

Air Asia’s proprietary digital health pass comes amid global efforts to harmonize standards in verifying passenger health data.

Cathay Pacific and United Airlines are among carriers trialing CommonPass, a digital health pass developed by the World Economic Forum and Commons Project Foundation. International SOS, a travel security company, is also in the process of developing AOKpass with trials in the Middle East. Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) is in the final development phase of its IATA Travel Pass.

Covid-19 testing and document verification is a priority for the airline industry as it lobbies governments for borders to reopen and international travel to resume.

Some governments, including China, have regulations to ban airlines if a certain number of passengers test positive upon arrival. Digital health passes, like traditional passport and visa checks, can help airlines reduce the risk of penalties for non-compliance.

“We have built Scan2Fly with both scalability and global compatibility in mind. Should there be an agreed global tracing app or vaccination app, our solutions can seamlessly integrate and or exchange relevant data as and when required,” Malik added.