Selangkah teams up with IATA to provide recognised COVID-19 tests for international travel

Selangkah Ventures Sdn Bhd (SBVB) has announced that its platform along with its partner group of laboratories and clinics have been authorised by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to issue certified COVID-19 test results for its Travel Pass. This would make it easier for future travellers to get a COVID-19 test that is recognised for international travel.

According to the official press release, the strategic partnership between SVSB and IATA will offer travellers a trusted and convenient experience for cross-border COVID-19 test requirements. It will provide travellers with a myriad of location options when they wish to undergo testing in the Klang Valley before departing for their trip.

To recap, the IATA Travel Pass is a digital platform that facilitates international travel in the new normal. As countries have started to reopen their borders with strict entry requirements, the Travel Pass aims to streamline air travel by digitising and centralising COVID-19 test results and vaccination status in a private, verified and safe manner. Several airlines have participated in the Travel Pass trial including Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, Emirates, ANA, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines.

With the partnership, SVSB’s lab test results will be certified for use by participating countries and airlines under the IATA Travel Pass programme. The IATA Travel Pass app will help users locate SVSB’s authorised labs to undergo COVID-19 screen test. This is applicable for both inbound and outbound travellers that require to get a negative COVID-19 test result before taking their next flight.

At the moment, there are 13 partner clinics that have been registered under IATA Travel Pass’ selection of health facilities in the Klang Valley. This includes Selcare Clinic in Puchong, Sentosa Klang, Skypark Subang and Section 13 Shah Alam, as well as KL Clinic Hap Seng, Menara Olympia, UBN Tower and Menara Worldwide. All participating labs will display the blue IATA Travel Pass sign as shown above.

After a user gets tested, the results will be sent directly to them via an app as a verifiable credential. The user will get an “OK To Travel” status if the health status fulfils the travel requirements. If the COVID-19 test returns positive, they will be marked as “Not OK to Travel”.

SVSB CEO Tengku Iesta Tengku Alaudin said “The travel and tourism industries are among the hardest hit. With this partnership with IATA, we hope to actively participate in facilitating the reopening of safe corridor travel in the region.”

Commenting on the collaboration, SVSB CIO Dr Helmi Zakariah said “IATA has been at the helm of creating a digital standardisation for diagnostic reporting across the world, and we are proud to support its efforts in reopening the border safely.” He added that in the near future, Selangkah users’ timely lab results will be integrated with IATA and accepted across participating airlines and countries.

The IATA Travel Pass is available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store. However, it is not available for everyone as it requires a 6-digit invitation code to start using.

To learn more about COVID-19 testing for IATA Travel Pass, you can contact Selcare Call Centre at 1-800-22-6600 or follow Selangkah’s social channels on Facebook and Twitter.