Korona - "Fully vaccinated airline" er et skummelt begrep - Curt Lewis

Ill.: ICAO

Det bør uansett være karantene ved ankomsstedet, har det vist seg. Falske attester er et problem, samt at en kan ha negativ test før avreise, men positiv på ankomsstedet. Tvungen test på ankomsstedet må være et krav. (Red.) 

Singapore Airlines hopes to be world's first fully-vaccinated airline

(CNN) — Singapore's national carrier is hoping to become the world's first airline to get all of its crew members vaccinated against Covid-19.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) confirmed to CNN Travel that all of their crew members -- including pilots, gate agents, flight attendants and anyone whose job requires contact with the public -- have been offered free coronavirus vaccines by the Singaporean government.

The country has purchased the Pfizer vaccine, which requires two shots.

"We are grateful to the Singapore government for making the aviation sector a priority in the country's vaccination exercise," the airline's CEO, Goh Choon Phong, said in a statement that was emailed out to the whole company on January 18.

"This reflects the sector's importance, and the crucial role we play in both Singapore's economic recovery and the fight against the pandemic."

According to the airline, 5,200 SIA employees have already signed up to get their shots. Inoculations will begin in a few days.

Phong, alongside Singapore's transport minister Ong Ye Kung, was among the city-state's first citizens to get vaccinated. He has received the first of his two shots, and reports that "the procedure was painless and fuss-free."

Once vaccinated, crew members will be subject to less scrutiny and fewer coronavirus-related security measures. For example, flight crew who are currently tested on the seventh day after their return to Singapore will be exempt from this test going forward.

Singapore's response to the pandemic has been largely successful due to border closures and a national contract-tracing app. The country has had 59,113 confirmed cases of the virus and only 29 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Still, citizens of the city-state have expressed an interest in being able to travel again. A much-hyped "travel bubble" with Hong Kong was indefinitely postponed in December when Hong Kong had a spike in virus cases.

Etihad - One of First Airlines To Launch IATA Travel Pass

Etihad Airways and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced a partnership to use the IATA Travel Pass, an app developed to store COVID-19 test results or vaccine information, for Etihad Airways’ passengers.

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is one of the first airlines in the world to use the IATA Travel Pass. It will be offered to passengers on select flights from Abu Dhabi within the first quarter of 2021. If it is successful, it will be extended to more flights.

The IATA Travel Pass was designed as a ‘digital passport’ to receive COVID-19 test results and verify that passengers are eligible to fly, using the information provided by the world’s governments. Passengers will also be able to share the results with airlines for travel in a paper- and contact-free way.

“COVID-19 tests and vaccinations will be key to get the world flying again...” said Mohammad Al Bulooki, Chief Operating Officer, Etihad Aviation Group. “A high priority for Etihad is for our guests to have an easy, secure and efficient way to identify and verify their information. Being one of the first airlines globally working with IATA as a pioneer partner on the IATA Travel Pass is a big step forward for Etihad’s guests and for the industry.”

The IATA Travel Pass has four main components. The four modules are as follows: registry for regulatory entry requirements and lab or test centers, verified certificate issuance, digital identity and the ability for passengers to share their test results. These parts can work by themselves, altogether or with other industry solutions, making it a collaborative step that could be adopted by other airlines.

“The Etihad Airways partnership to launch the IATA Travel Pass is an important milestone on the road to meaningfully restarting international travel. Our aim is to give all governments the confidence to re-open borders to travellers based on verified vaccine and testing data. The initial stage of the Etihad launch will focus on all four elements of the IATA Travel Pass modules, one of the first airlines in the world to do so,” said Nick Careen, IATA's Senior Vice President, Airport, Passenger, Cargo and Security.

The annual Henley Passport Index placed Singapore second in the world -- just one point behind nearby Japan -- for passport power. Singaporeans can enter 190 countries or territories around the world without needing a visa.