IATA and Unilabs Partner to Help Passengers Manage COVID-19 Tests

Unilabs, the leading European diagnostic services provider, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade association for the world’s airlines, have signed an agreement to incorporate Unilabs’ worldwide COVID-19 testing network into IATA Travel Pass.

The agreement will make Unilabs one of the first major lab groups to be integrated into IATA’s Travel Pass app. Proof of a negative COVID-19 test is required by many governments as a condition of entry, and the app makes the process seamless, secure, and easy.

“COVID-19 testing will play a role in re-starting international travel. Travelers will need to understand test requirements, locate labs, verify their identity to the lab and transfer their test results to relevant parties – airlines and governments – as needed. Our partnership with Unilabs will give travelers access to Unilabs’ extensive network and help them securely and efficiently manage their test results,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

“We are delighted that IATA has chosen us for this initiative,” said Michiel Boehmer, Unilabs’ President and COO. “As international travel starts coming back, we are ready to do our bit – delivering the 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 labs, and allows passengers to receive and manage digital certificates for COVID-19 tests or vaccinations.

Unilabs will be able to securely upload test results in IATA Travel Pass, which are then checked against the IATA Timatic global registry of national health requirements, to produce an “OK to Travel” status. Through the app, passengers can share their status and the digital test certificates with authorities, airports, and airlines.

Unilabs and IATA are currently running a pilot program in the UAE. Once the processes are successfully up and running, the initiative will be rolled out to other entities of the Unilabs network in many countries.

Alongside PCR tests, Unilabs also performs antigen and serology tests. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lab group has performed close to 10 million COVID-19 tests across its network in 17 countries.