As news about a viable COVID-19 vaccine being available to the general public is making its rounds, many nations across the world are saying that international travelers will need to be vaccinated before visiting. 

An Associated Press report confirms that officials from Qantas, Australia’s largest airline have said that once the vaccines are accessible, they will be essential for passengers before they travel to or from the nation. Qantas Chief Executive officer Alan Joyce explained that the airline is developing methods to electronically verify if people have received the vaccine for their intended destination. “We are looking at changing our terms and conditions to say for international travelers, that we will ask people to have the vaccination before they get on the aircraft,” Joyce told The AP.

Airlines across the world are taking up similar measures

Aside from Qantas, carriers like Korean Air also made a similar announcement: “governments are likely to require vaccinations as a condition for lifting quarantine requirements for new arrivals.” Air New Zealand also confirmed that: “Ultimately, it’s up to governments to determine when and how it is safe to reopen borders and we continue to work closely with authorities on this.” 

Korean Air spokesperson Jill Chung also added: “With the world coming closer to coronavirus vaccines and negative tests also becoming requirements for lifting travelers from self-quarantines in countries across the world, airlines are feeling the need for an effective system to screen passengers for vaccinations and tests.” 

Other international airlines are working on trying out the “Common Pass” which is an app endorsed by the World Economic Forum. The app aims to provide a standardized format for airlines to evaluate the coronavirus test results of passengers. IATA is also working on similar apps that will make it easier for flying passengers to quickly display their COVID credentials at airports.

Also Read: Ireland Offers Test-To-Release Option For All Travelers