The CEO of a flagship Middle Eastern airline has said the requirement for Covid-19 vaccinations will likely be a trend in air travel, as the industry attempts to rebound from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
“In the short term, yes, I think that the vaccine passport will be helpful to give confidence both to governments and to the passengers in our industry to start travelling again,” Qatar Airways Group CEO Akbar Al Baker told CNBC’s Hadley Gamble on Tuesday.
When asked whether vaccinations will become a “necessity” in order to fly, Al Baker said: “I think this will be the trend initially, because the world needs to open people need to have confidence in the air travel.”
“I think this will be a trend that will happen until such a time that people are certain that there is a proper cure, or proper treatment for this very serious pandemic we are facing today,” he added.
The idea of vaccination passports has been floated by many governments and industries, with proponents saying it would make travel safer. Critics, however, argue it could worsen inequality and access for people from countries that are further behind in their inoculation campaigns.
Asked who should run the vaccination passport process, the CEO said, “In my view, it should be led by IATA (the International Air Transport Association) ... I have full confidence that IATA will get into grips with the issues in front of the industry.”
The conversation with Al Baker took place in conjunction with the launch of Qatar Airways’ first fully Covid-19 vaccinated flight, on an A350-1000.
The “flight to nowhere” will remain within Qatari airspace and feature the company’s new hygiene and safety features, including “zero-touch” in-flight entertainment technology. It will carry only passengers and crew that have been vaccinated against the virus that turned the world economy on its head and bankrupted so many airlines in the past year.
(CNBC)
