by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 10:49 AM ET, Wed March 17, 2021
JetBlue launched a digital health pass, CommonPass, for travelers traveling to and from Aruba, while also telling its flight attendants that they should return a month earlier than previously anticipated.
CommonPass, created with The Commons Project Foundation and in partnership with Aruba and COVID-19 testing companies Vault and XpresCheck, is a digital app that enables easier entry into the island. While the health passport is currently only required for flights between Boston and Aruba, JetBlue will expand this service to other cities for travelers heading to Aruba.
The island requires arriving passengers test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of arrival. JetBlue's passengers from Boston will receive at-home PCR tests from Vault or in-person testing from XpresCheck. Then, after downloading the CommonPass app, users will have access to dedicated CommonPass immigration lanes at the airports.
"CommonPass and the CommonTrust Network provide passengers, airlines and governments with a trusted system to digitally verify that an international traveler meets entry requirements upon arrival," said Paul Meyer, CEO, The Commons Project Foundation. "Our registry of health data sources -- information from labs, pharmacies, hospitals and health departments -- is essential to giving the public the confidence to once again travel, attend events and enjoy activities they did prior to COVID-19."
While this effort to keep travelers safe in Aruba, it is unlikely the CommonPass app will become JetBlue's universal digital health passport.
According to CNBC, JetBlue has informed its flight attendants taking leaves of absence due to the pandemic that they should return a month early, citing a large amount of desire to travel and increased vaccination rates as reasons why.
While JetBlue did not verify how many flight attendants will be called back to work, it is a sign that the airline is recovering from its losses last year.
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