United health pass
Global Travel Collection MD Jason Oshiokpekhai holds up the unique QR code on the CommonPass health pass. Credit: The Commons Project via Business Wire.

United Airlines has successfully conducted the first transatlantic trial of the CommonPass digital health pass on a flight between the UK and the US.

CommonPass is designed for travellers to securely document their verified Covid-19 test status and share it with airline staff.

It seeks to restore safer travel confidence in both the travellers and governments, as well as fast-track the reopening of international borders.

During the trial, the health pass was used by volunteer travellers on United Airlines Flight 15 from London Heathrow to Newark Liberty International Airport.

United regulatory and policy vice-president Steve Morrissey said: “United has consistently demonstrated its leadership in developing innovative solutions to help ensure a safer travel experience for our customers during these challenging times.

“Testing is a key component of a multi-layered approach to safely reopening travel.

“Trials with solutions like CommonPass are critical to demonstrate the potential for alternatives to blanket quarantine measures or travel restrictions.

“We will continue looking for opportunities to facilitate these valuable programmes and reopen critical routes, such as those between the US and the UK.”

The testing follows a pilot programme with Cathay Pacific’s flights between Hong Kong and Singapore carried out earlier this month.

The digital health pass is built on the Common Trust Framework for Health Status Verification.

CommonPass Framework helps establish a process for certification of lab results and vaccination records.

It also allows governments to determine and attest their own health criteria for travellers.

CommonPass and the CommonPass Framework are being launched by the World Economic Forum and Swiss-based non-profit foundation The Commons Project.

Other airlines will also follow suit with additional demonstrations planned to be held in the coming months.

The Commons Project CEO Paul Meyer said: “Following these successful trials with Cathay Pacific and United Airlines, we begin the rollout of CommonPass with more of the world’s largest airlines.

“In November and December, we will launch routes across Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East.”