National Aviation Services (NAS) (NAS.aero), the fastest growing aviation services provider in the emerging markets, is the first Ground Handling Agent (GHA) in the world to integrate with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Pass. IATA made the announcement today, at the 33rd IATA Ground Handling Conference in Prague. The IATA Travel Pass is a mobile app that helps passengers easily and securely manage their travel in line with any government requirements for COVID-19 testing or vaccine information.

NAS has joined its Medical Utility Network Accreditor (MUNA) with the IATA Travel Pass. MUNA, based on a patented block chain technology connects audited labs in more than 740 cities across the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the US. The online platform offers verified and authenticated PCR test certificates to ease procedures for both travelers and staff at airports. MUNA also connects with KuwaitMosafer, another web based platform developed by NAS that facilitates travel to Kuwait and includes the Kuwait Ministry of Health online vaccine certificate. These ‘digital passports’ enable travelers to manage all their travel documentation seamlessly and are also an apt solution for airlines and airport authorities.

Rami Al Haddad, Group CIO at NAS highlighted “NAS prides itself on pioneering innovative travel solutions throughout the pandemic. We are pleased to integrate with IATA Travel Pass to not only enhance the customer experience but also fulfill the requirements of airlines, airports and governments - safely, seamlessly and efficiently. Through the integration with IATA Travel Pass, anyone tested through MUNA or with vaccine credentials attested by MUNA, can utilize the QR codes from these platforms, for quicker passage at airports around the world.”

NAS has a presence in more than 55 airports across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia providing services to more than half of the world’s top ten airlines and key aviation hubs. It’s portfolio of pioneering services also includes cargo management, airport technologies, lounge management, meet and assist services as well as aviation training. The company follows the highest international aviation standards and holds a number of global certifications including IATA’s Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) that highlights the company’s promise of providing high quality services, with a strong focus on safety and security.

“Ground operations will grind to a halt if ground handling agents have to manage passengers’ COVID-19 travel requirements—test results or vaccine certifications—with paper documentation. NAS’s integration of IATA Travel Pass with MUNA will enable passengers to easily upload their verified COVID-19 test results from MUNA into IATA Travel Pass and check they have the correct heath credentials for their destination so they can arrive at the airport ready-to-fly.  Having the confidence of a major ground handling company like NAS support IATA Travel Pass is hugely significant. We hope that this cooperation will become a model for other ground handlers to follow,” Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety and Security.