IATA and Unilabs partner to help passengers manage Covid-19 tests

Unilabs, Europe's leading provider of diagnostic services, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the world's airline trade association, have signed an agreement to incorporate Unilabs' global Covid-19 test network into IATA Travel. Pass.

The agreement will make Unilabs one of the first major lab groups to join the IATA Travel Pass application. Many governments require a negative Covid-19 test as a condition of entry, and the app makes the process seamless, safe, and easy. 

“Covid-19 testing will play a role in restarting international travel. Travelers will need to understand testing requirements, locate labs, verify their identity in the lab, and transfer test results to relevant parties (airlines and governments) as required. Our partnership with Unilabs will give travelers access to Unilabs' extensive network and help them safely and efficiently manage their test results, ”said Willie Walsh, IATA Director General.

"We are delighted that IATA has chosen us for this initiative," said Michiel Boehmer, President and COO of Unilabs. "As international travel begins to return, we are ready to do our bit, delivering fast, effective and reliable Covid-19 tests that will get people moving again."

IATA Travel Pass provides information on entry requirements, directs travelers to trusted laboratories, and enables passengers to receive and manage digital certificates for Covid-19 tests or vaccines.

Unilabs will be able to securely upload test results to the IATA Travel Pass, which are then verified against the IATA Timatic Global Registry of National Health Requirements, to produce an "OK to Travel" status. Through the application, passengers can share their status and digital proof certificates with authorities, airports and airlines. 

Unilabs and IATA are currently running a pilot program in the United Arab Emirates. Once the processes are up and running successfully, the initiative will be extended to other entities in the Unilabs network in many countries.

In addition to PCR testing, Unilabs also performs antigen and serology testing. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the lab group has performed nearly 10 million Covid-19 tests on its network in 17 countries.