Lufthansa has partnered with Amadeus to enable passengers to verify their health documents via the airline's mobile app.
The development, which is available for non-risk Schengen area flights, is part of the Traveler ID for Safe Travel initiative from Amadeus which is now being used by 11 airlines.
Lufthansa will also be able to verify passenger health documentation using the Amadeus Airport Companion App which allows staff to provide help to travelers from anywhere in the airport.
The Traveler ID for Safe Travel technology automatically checks requirements for the relevant trip and then enables passengers to scan proof of vaccination or test results using QR codes when using mobile devices for check-in.
The technology is also integrated with Lufthansa's medical testing partner Centogene allowing passengers with test results from this partner to also scan documents as they check-in on the carrier's app.
Dr. Christian Pöselt, head of passenger service systems, Lufthansa Group, says: "It’s time to restart a smooth passenger journey, we know people are longing to get back in the skies, and they need the right technology in place to feel safe to do so."
Monika Wiederhold, executive vice president global ecosystem initiatives, Amadeus, says the technology is nearing a million health validation transactions, and a further 10 airlines are scheduled to be implemented this year.
She adds that the technology is not only about bringing back a seamless check-in experience on mobile but also keeping passengers within the airline's existing digital environment.
"It's clear that all airlines have to find a solution whether working with different partners or in-house solutions. The ability to scale around the globe in this fast changing environment and make it compatible is I think quite unique to Amadeus."
While the Traveler ID technology was originally conceived as a digital identity initiative, the pandemic drove the health requirements to be built in.
"What we see is that the acceptance for biometric and digital identities is accelerating both from a traveler perspective and government perspective, clearly driven by the pandemic. We had expected a much longer adoption for that kind of change."
Wiederhold adds that the COVID health validation functionality is only one capability and other documents and checks are likely to be digitized in the future and won't be restricted to airline check-in alone.
"We do see these situations along the journey and many different touchpoints. It can apply to hotels, cruises and exhibition spaces. Access control, identity and proof of health document or something else, is a generic capability needed."