Last Week in Travel
Last Week in Travel
Last updated: Mar 1, 2021 · 4 min read

Week 8 in Travel

Even though not many of us are traveling, a lot is going on in the industry. The changes that travel and tourism have undergone in the past year are enormous and many things took a turn from one day to another.

This week’s highlights include Emirates operating their first fully-vaccinated flight and news of an airline industry app which could open up travel without the need of quarantine. It seems that there is a lot of hope for the future of travel as companies and governments are doing the best they can to come up with ways in which we can resume travel as soon as possible, in a safe way. We are all moving towards the same goal but we have to be careful so that we don’t jump in too quickly.

We can see that a lot of the news from last week include talk about the future of travel, vaccination and the long talked about possibility of vaccine passports. Do you plan on getting vaccinated? Read some of the most interesting stories from last week here.

 

 

 

 

Emirates operates first fully-vaccinated flight

On the 22nd of February, 2021 United Emirates operated their first flight with a fully-vaccinated frontline team servicing customers at every touchpoint of the travel journey. The flight in mind was the EK215, which departed from Dubai at 08:30am for Los Angeles.

“Protecting our people with vaccinations is important – for them, for our community, for the smooth running of our operations, and also for our customers as it introduces of an additional layer of protection when they travel with us.”

Almost 5,000 cabin and flight deck crew have decided to receive both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. Read the full story here.

 

UK PM says foreign travel curbs to stay until at least mid-May

Prime minister Boris Johnson, noted on Monday, the 22nd of February that the ban on non-essential international travel to and from England will stay until at least May 17. However, by the beginning of April, travelers will be given a heads up on what they can expect for their summer plans.

“The government will determine when international travel should resume, which will be no earlier than 17 May,” The deadline for the report which will determine how to restart travel for the summer is 12th of April, giving holiday-makers some time to make decisions on their summer holidays. The idea with the report is to find a safe way to restart travel rather than jumping back into it. Read the full story here

 

Airline industry app could open up quarantine-free travel

CNN gives us news of the IATA Travel Pass which will aim to help travelers store and manage their certifications for Covid-19 tests and vaccines is set to launch next month.

The IATA Travel Pass is being developed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global trade association.  The idea with the app is that it will be the key to reopening borders and getting the world flying again — without the need for quarantine.

How the app will work: 

  • There is a global registry of health requirements for passengers to check what’s needed in order to enter the place they want to visit.
  • Travelers can check out the global registry of testing and vaccination centers so they can set up appointments before their departure.
  • Labs and test centers can then securely share test and vaccination certificates with passengers through the IATA Travel Pass app.
  • Travelers can create a digital version of their passport on their phone, receiving and sharing Covid-19 testing or vaccination certificates, and managing other travel documentation, too.

Read the full story here

 

The UK Is Proposing a Standardized Vaccine Passport for Future Travel

Would a vaccine passport allow us to travel? The United Kingdom is planning to try to push for an internationally-recognized vaccine passport in an effort to get travel going again in the following months.

“The UK will use its presidency of the G7 to tout the concept, which in theory would allow international travel to resume. The government would look to create “a clear international framework with standards that provide consistency for passengers and industry alike,” according to a document released this month outlining the country’s pandemic-related plans.

We have heard about the idea of a vaccine passport many times — the passport is already used in many countries to prevent the spread of yellow fever. And several countries have turned to it for coronavirus, including the SeychellesGeorgia, and Romania, which are welcoming vaccinated travelers. Read the full story here.

* A lot happens in travel every week, in this post we simply highlight some of the stories that we found interesting throughout the week.