Iata travel pass: 'digital passports' will get the world moving again


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When King Artaxerxes I of Persia issued the first known passport in the fifth century BC – in the form of a letter requesting safe passage – to one of his officials travelling to what is now Palestine, he did so to assure the rulers of the lands in between that his man posed no threat to them or their nations. The world was a suspicious place and borders were a natural way to ensure that foreign dangers were kept out.

International travel has become a much less fraught affair over the last 2,500 years. But the coronavirus pandemic has reminded us what borders have always been: both an expression of countries' fears and a tool to allay them. The virus, as many public figures have taken to pointing out, knows no borders. But in the past 10 months, with nations either shuttering or significantly tightening their borders, people have got to know them very well.

The fortunes of the international travel and aviation sectors are inextricable from the permeability of borders, and so in the current climate the consequences for them have been dire. That has rippled into other corners of the global economy, too, from tourism to manufacturing.

  • Latvia's Air Baltic scored 7 out of 7 for its Covid-19 compliance rating by airlineratings.com. AAFP
    Latvia's Air Baltic scored 7 out of 7 for its Covid-19 compliance rating by airlineratings.com. AAFP
  • Air New Zealand also ranked in the top 20. AFP
    Air New Zealand also ranked in the top 20. AFP
  • Alaska Airlines also took the top rating for Covid-19 compliance. Image courtesy Tomas Del Coro
    Alaska Airlines also took the top rating for Covid-19 compliance. Image courtesy Tomas Del Coro
  • Japan's All Nippon Airways made the cut. Reuters
    Japan's All Nippon Airways made the cut. Reuters
  • Low-cost airline Air Asia is one of few budget airlines in the top 20. Bloomberg
    Low-cost airline Air Asia is one of few budget airlines in the top 20. Bloomberg
  • British Airways scored big for its Covid-19 compliance. Airlines are scored out of seven categories by airlineratings.com. Reuters
    British Airways scored big for its Covid-19 compliance. Airlines are scored out of seven categories by airlineratings.com. Reuters
  • Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific also ranked in the top 20. Reuters
    Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific also ranked in the top 20. Reuters
  • Delta Air Lines ranks as one of the top 20 airlines for Covid-19 compliance. Getty Images
    Delta Air Lines ranks as one of the top 20 airlines for Covid-19 compliance. Getty Images
  • Emirates scored 7 out of 7 for its Covid-19 compliance. Getty Images
    Emirates scored 7 out of 7 for its Covid-19 compliance. Getty Images
  • Etihad Airways also took the highest score. Courtesy Etihad
    Etihad Airways also took the highest score. Courtesy Etihad
  • Taiwan's Eva Air was noted for its Covid-19 regulations. AFP
    Taiwan's Eva Air was noted for its Covid-19 regulations. AFP
  • Japan Airlines ranked in the top 20 Covid-safe airlines.
    Japan Airlines ranked in the top 20 Covid-safe airlines.
  • JetBlue's Covid-19 policies held up to scrutiny. James Darcy / Airbus
    JetBlue's Covid-19 policies held up to scrutiny. James Darcy / Airbus
  • The Netherlands' KLM also led the way in Covid-19 compliance. Courtesy KLM
    The Netherlands' KLM also led the way in Covid-19 compliance. Courtesy KLM
  • Korean Air scoreed seven stars for implementing Covid-19 policies. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons
    Korean Air scoreed seven stars for implementing Covid-19 policies. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons
  • Germany's Lufthansa also ranked high for its policies to protect travellers against the coronavirus. Reuters
    Germany's Lufthansa also ranked high for its policies to protect travellers against the coronavirus. Reuters
  • Singapore Airlines was listed in the top 20. AFP
    Singapore Airlines was listed in the top 20. AFP
  • Southwest Airlines from the US also made the cut. Reuters
    Southwest Airlines from the US also made the cut. Reuters
  • Qatar Airways ranked in the top 20 airlines for Covid-19 compliance. AP
    Qatar Airways ranked in the top 20 airlines for Covid-19 compliance. AP
  • Westjet rounds out the top 20 airlines leading the way for Covid-19 compliance. Getty Images
    Westjet rounds out the top 20 airlines leading the way for Covid-19 compliance. Getty Images

It has been clear since the early days of the pandemic that diagnosing those who were infected quickly and efficiently, through mass testing, is critical. The development and distribution of vaccines would come next.

All of these steps have materialised in some form, albeit imperfectly and unevenly, across much of the world. Most countries have some form of testing, though the technologies deployed vary widely. And most have formulated some kind of vaccination plan, though the ability to realise them varies, too.

So long as the success of all of these efforts remains a work in progress, however, any return to “normality” remains frozen by the necessity of intermittent lockdowns and quarantines for travellers. So when can we get the world moving again?

The simple answer is, when every country's path – or at least a plurality of them – out of the pandemic begins to converge through a concerted, global effort. The variations in progress must minimise in favour of a unified approach trusted by everyone.

In a bid to save its sector, the International Air Transport Association, a global aviation trade body, is rolling out a "travel pass". Iata envisions it as a "digital passport" – a mobile phone app linking the information from a traveller's physical passport with records of their coronavirus tests and vaccinations.

Crucially, the app will cross-reference the records with the testing and vaccination requirements of departure and destination countries, reassuring border officials that the person is safe to travel. Iata will also work with the World Health Organisation and other international bodies to ascertain what testing and vaccine regimes will form the basis for a comprehensible global standard.

Iata has already announced plans to trial the travel pass with Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways and Dubai's Emirates, two airlines that, thanks to the UAE's ability to roll out testing and vaccinations quickly, have been spared the worst of the pandemic's havoc on the sector.

The digital passport, Iata hopes, will eventually "re-open borders without quarantine" so that governments can be "confident that they are effectively mitigating the risk of importing Covid-19". For most of the world, that confidence is probably still a long way off. But global standards for dealing with the pandemic are the right goal for which countries should aim. They will be integral in restoring trust. And trust, as travellers since the time of Artaxerxes have known, is the only way to ensure safe passage.

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

Company Profile

Company name: NutriCal

Started: 2019

Founder: Soniya Ashar

Based: Dubai

Industry: Food Technology

Initial investment: Self-funded undisclosed amount

Future plan: Looking to raise fresh capital and expand in Saudi Arabia

Total Clients: Over 50

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Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

If you go...

Flying
There is no simple way to get to Punta Arenas from the UAE, with flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi requiring at least two connections to reach this part of Patagonia. Flights start from about Dh6,250.

Touring
Chile Nativo offers the amended Los Dientes trek with expert guides and porters who are met in Puerto Williams on Isla Navarino. The trip starts and ends in Punta Arenas and lasts for six days in total. Prices start from Dh8,795.

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India squad for third Test against Sri Lanka
Virat Kohli (capt), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Vijay Shankar

India squad for ODI series against Sri Lanka
Rohit Sharma (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul

THE BIO

BIO:
Born in RAK on December 9, 1983
Lives in Abu Dhabi with her family
She graduated from Emirates University in 2007 with a BA in architectural engineering
Her motto in life is her grandmother’s saying “That who created you will not have you get lost”
Her ambition is to spread UAE’s culture of love and acceptance through serving coffee, the country’s traditional coffee in particular.

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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

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Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

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TOUCH RULES

Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.

Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.

Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.

A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.

After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.

At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.

A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.

Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.