UK's Heathrow Airport trials COVID-19 tests and 'health passports'

02:09

London's Heathrow Airport is trialing new quick result virus testing and "heath passports" in a bid to get air traffic moving again and mitigate the fallout of COVID-19 restrictions.

On Wednesday, passengers flying from Heathrow to New York Newark airport in the U.S. are trialing a digital health document. Under the scheme, people are tested for the virus before they fly and will receive a QR code if their results are negative. Airlines and border staff then scan the mobile code. It has also been trialed on routes between Singapore and Hong Kong.

"This technology stores the data from the COVID tests, this will obviously help us start reopening borders and establish safe air corridors," said Virginia Messina, managing director of the World Travel and Tourism Council.

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The system is called CommonPass. It aims to create an international standard for travelers to prove they don't have the virus.

Paul Meyer, managing director of the Commons Project, the non-profit organization behind the system, said the health passport will allow countries to trust that passengers have received a negative test from a reputable lab.

He says eventually the passport could be used when a vaccine is available. People will have to prove they have been vaccinated similar to the way they currently have to demonstrate a yellow fever vaccination in certain countries.

Heathrow has also started trialing a quick result COVID-19 test for passengers flying to Hong Kong or Italy. Both countries require a test to enter.

"I think what we'll see over the coming months is testing centers like this in airports around the world," said David Evans, CEO of medical travel assistance firm Collison.

Evans said he believes countries and regions will form bilateral agreements for approved testing from accredited labs in departure areas.

The travel industry and airlines hope this will remove the need for two-week quarantines.

British Airways CEO Sean Doyle said he disagreed with the quarantine solutions. "We believe the best way to reassure people is to introduce a reliable and affordable test before flying," he argued.

Video Editor: Nuno Fernando