Emirates, the largest airline of UAE, and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) have started a complete digital verification of COVID-19 medical records related to testing and vaccination for travelers based in the country.
Now, the Emirates customers who have undertaken a PCR test in Dubai can opt to check-in without presenting their physical COVID-19 PCR test report. Further, travelers who have received their COVID-19 vaccination at a DHA health center in the emirate, together with their test results, have their documents synchronized during flight check-in.
The new verification procedures will enable secure and fast processing times for travelers departing from Dubai International Airport. The information will then be matched up with the entry requirements of the destination.
Emirates has ensured that it will only process the information specifically related to the COVID-19 entry requirements of the customer’s destination. Once check-in formalities are completed, data related to COVID-19 medical records will be immediately removed from systems.
Dubai has now become one of the first cities in the world to implement full digital verification of traveler medical records related to COVID-19 testing and vaccination. The integration comes less than two months aftersigning the first-of-its-kind agreement between the airline group and government health authority.
Adel Al Redha COO – Emirates
“This initiative is in line with the government’s vision and we are delighted to take this step within the aviation sector to cooperate with DHA in linking our systems together to enhance the customer experience by processing the relevant documents in a more efficient, secure and effective manner. Our partnership with the DHA in managing passenger travel is unique and is the first step towards other initiatives that will be launched shortly.”
Ahmed Al Nuaimi, CEO of Joint Corporate Support Services at the DHA said, “The DHA has been strongly foraying into paperless healthcare over the past few years to enhance patient convenience and further improve healthcare delivery. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have deployed and fostered the use of digital healthcare. The strategic foresight into investing in digital healthcare has paved the way today for such a pioneering integration.”
The partnership provides customers with a streamlined experience and meets current requirements, making air travel safe and convenient. In the coming months, the next phase of digital verification will see secure integration of health records within the IATA Travel Pass as another option to facilitate travel for passengers.
