NEWS


Certification plans gather pace with standards ‘on way’


Ian Taylor


Progress on vaccination certificates for travellers appears increasingly rapid, with international certification standards on the way “in a matter of weeks”, according to Iata. But a senior aviation source


warned reports of “vaccination passports” are “confusing” and certification “challenging”. EC vice-president Margaritis


Schinas said on Monday the EU would submit proposals for a “digital green pass including information on vaccination” to the European


Parliament on March 17, and health secretary Matt Hancock confirmed: “If a country says you need to have been vaccinated to travel, we want to enable Brits to take that journey.” Iata is well-advanced in developing


a Travel Pass mobile app which would allow travellers to share digital vaccination or Covid test certificates with airlines and border control. It should be available from March. But to make this a reality, Iata


head of airport, passenger and security products Alan Murray Hayden said: “We need a global standard for vaccination credentials; we need governments to ensure


Governments will have to permit health data to be held on passengers’ phones


citizens receive digital test results and vaccination certificates; and we need border agencies to accept digital certificates.” At present, he noted: “It’s typically commercial labs that issue certificates.” Hayden said governments also “need to let passengers hold health data on a phone”. Iata senior vice-president Nick


Careen said: “What is not in place is a standard for digital test certification or vaccination certification. We understand we’re a matter of weeks away from these. Then it will be a matter for governments to accept them. That might take longer.”


In the UK, where more than


20 million adults have received a first vaccine, certification for travellers would require the NHS to issue digital certificates retroactively. Iata is in talks with the World


Health Organization on standards and with the UK’s Department for Transport. However, director general


Alexandre de Juniac insisted: “Iata is not asking for vaccination to be a requirement for travel. There are significant populations who cannot


or will not be vaccinated.” i Business, back page


Heapy tips 2022 to surpass 2019 Lucy Huxley


Jet2holidays anticipates 2022 capacity will outstrip 2019 as it remains confident about a strong rebound for the industry. Steve Heapy, chief executive of


the UK’s second-largest operator, predicted a “bounce-back” in summer 2022. Asked on a Travel Weekly webcast


if 2022 capacity would be back to 2019 levels, Heapy said: “Probably above that. We’re optimistic. Lots of people will want to get away. They will feel they are owed a holiday.” He said early indications showed


consumers were tending to upgrade their board basis or star rating for summer 2022 in particular. Heapy defended criticism of the


travelweekly.co.uk


operator’s claimed “1,000% spike in bookings” in the 24 hours after the PM’s roadmap announcement last week, saying it equated to “tens of thousands of bookings”. He accepted there was a mix


of rebookings and new custom, as the operator cancelled all holidays before May 17. Most were for travel mid-July onwards, added Heapy, who said Turkey, Greece, Cyprus and the Canary Islands were particularly popular, but “everywhere” was up. But he warned of a potential


shortage of holidays and urged early booking. “Capacity is down in the market,” Heapy said. “Maybe not all hotels will open, and there might be social distancing in place.” Sales through agents were also “enormously up”, said Heapy, as


he praised the trade for adapting business models during the pandemic – and said he would like to host Jet2holidays’ annual conference for independent agents this year. Heapy called for the government’s


Steve Heapy


reconstituted Global Travel Taskforce to use “common sense” but “without overcaution” as it consulted the industry on travel’s restart. He suggested introducing vaccine


certification on a temporary basis, noting that he isn’t a fan of the policy “from a personal point of view” but would back the measure “to get us flying again”. Heapy also said some companies


had “screwed over” the rest of the industry during the past 12 months, particularly in relation to refunds – and predicted stricter regulation in future as a result.


Watch the interview with Steve Heapy at: go.travelweekly.co.uk/webcasts


4 MARCH 2021 7


PICTURE: Iata


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