In short, CommonPass is a digital health pass that will let travelers show ther Covid-19 test status is a globally recognized way.
Currently, you need to present a negative test for all international flights in and out of most countries. However, each country has its own testing procedures, medical forms (in different languages) and reporting procedures.
CommonPass aims to standardize all that and put it in one easy-to-use app.
When will CommonPass be available?
Currently, the app is being used by Cathay Pacific. It will be trialed on flights between Hong Kong International Airport and Singapore’s Changi Airport. The app is also being tested by United Airlines, on flights between London and New York.
If the trial is successful over the next month, it’s expected to be rolled out across more routes across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
How CommonPass makes flights easer and safer
Any travellers wishing to leave the country must first visit at a certified Covid-19 testing facility. They then upload their results to the CommonPass app via smartphone, which then validates it and then will provide more screening questions (in line with the destination country’s coronavirus protocols).
Once you have been certified, CommonPass will create a QR code which can then be scanned by airline staff and border officials – meaning no more fiddling around with pieces of paper at immigration lines.
Ultimately, it should make travel that much easier.
In other news, Looking for the best UAE hotel deals for staycations, a weekend getaway or just a chance to sleep in another bed?
With international travel looking less likely over the next few months (obviously, you can still fly out of the country but it’s a bit of a hassle), residents of the UAE are increasingly looking for a nice hotel to chill and relax at right here in our very own Emirates.
Esquire now has a newsletter – sign up to get it sent straight to your inbox.
Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit ‘Like’ on our Esquire Facebook page and ‘Follow’ on our @esquiremiddleeast Instagram and Twitter account.
