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Airline industry signs COVID passport deal with major lab firm

IATA's Travel Pass is a mobile app that provides an 'OK to Travel' status. Photo: Getty Images
IATA's Travel Pass is a mobile app that provides an 'OK to Travel' status. Photo: Getty Images (Westend61 via Getty Images)

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has added Synlab (SYAB.F), a medical diagnostics services provider, to its list of authorised COVID-19 testing labs in a bid to improve its COVID passport offering.

IATA's Travel Pass is a mobile app that helps users store and manage their verified certifications for COVID-19 tests and vaccinations, and provides an 'OK to Travel' status.

Passengers can share their status and the digital test certificates with authorities and airlines to facilitate travel. Authorised labs send COVID-19 test results directly to the passenger's phone as a verifiable credential.

Synlab’s testing sites will be incorporated into the IATA Travel Pass which means travellers will be able to use the company’s 450 labs and 1,600 sample collection points in 36 countries to get their COVID tests done. Synlab is the market leader in Europe for PCR testing and has conducted 18m tests since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Read more: Deliveroo's order growth begins to slow as UK economy reopens

“Verified COVID-19 testing is critical to restore the freedom to travel for people who are not vaccinated,” said Willie Walsh, IATA's director general.

“Adding Synlab's extensive lab network will help travellers more easily ensure that they meet their COVID-19 travel requirements."

COVID-19 tests have become a major part of international travel. Most passengers now need to be tested before taking a flight and sometimes upon landing as well. IATA said its pass “is a digital solution that also prevents potential forgery of test results.”

Some 50 airlines including Emirates and Virgin Atlantic accept the pass, while Singapore and Panama recently became the latest countries to allow passengers to show their COVID passport via the app.

“Testing is a central pillar in monitoring and controlling the pandemic to prevent the spread of the virus, said Mathieu Floreani, chief executive of Synlab.

Watch: Should I book a holiday in 2021?

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