Geneva / Munich

• SYNLAB to securely share certified COVID-19 test results with passengers directly through IATA Travel Pass, providing reliable digital proof on health status as international travel increases
• Through SYNLAB’s international laboratory network travellers will have access to up to 450 testing labs and more than 1,600 sample collection points across 36 countries, making travel even more hassle-free 

SYNLAB, Europe’s leading medical diagnostic services provider, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced a partnership to facilitate safe and easy travel. Today, the two partners signed an agreement to incorporate SYNLAB’s extensive lab network into IATA Travel Pass.

This will enable airline passengers to access SYNLAB’s broad and secure COVID-19 testing services, benefiting from its international capabilities. SYNLAB and IATA build upon valuable experience gained during a successful pilot project for passenger testing in Columbia over the course of the past months. 

IATA Travel Pass allows passengers to locate authorised laboratories at departure locations to get tested for SARS-CoV-2 as required by border and health authorities. After testing, SYNLAB will provide passengers with their certified test results directly through the IATA Travel Pass.

The app checks the result against the IATA Travel Pass registry of national entry requirements to produce an “OK to Travel” status. Through the app passengers can share their status and the digital test certificates with authorities and airlines to facilitate travel. 

IATA Travel Pass applies the highest data security standards. Authorised laboratories directly send COVID-19 test results to the passenger’s phone as a verifiable credential. This way, the IATA Travel Pass is a digital solution that also prevents potential forgery of test results.  

Mathieu Floreani, CEO of SYNLAB, says: “We are pleased to partner with IATA to make travelling as safe as possible. At a time when people around the world are resuming air travel and different variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus are spreading, testing remains crucial.

Testing is a central pillar in monitoring and controlling the pandemic to prevent the spread of the virus. As the market leader in Europe for PCR testing, we have conducted 18 million PCR tests since the outbreak of the pandemic, underlining our strong expertise in this incredibly relevant field.”

Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, says: “Verified COVID-19 testing is critical to restore the freedom to travel for people who are not vaccinated.  IATA Travel Pass aims to make it as simple as possible for travellers to locate certified labs and securely receive the test results that governments require for entry. Adding SYNLAB’s extensive lab network will help travellers more easily ensure that they meet their COVID-19 travel requirements.”

SYNLAB has a proven track record of implementing large-scale SARS-CoV-2 testing concepts: as trusted and long-standing medical partner and advisor to national healthcare systems, governmental entities, international companies, and associations.

With its network of more than 450 medical laboratories and over 1,600 sample collection points across 36 countries, SYNLAB is dedicated to offer medical excellence with reliable testing services and shortest possible turnaround times.

About SYNLAB 

SYNLAB, is the largest European clinical laboratory and medical diagnostic services company and offers a full range of innovative and reliable medical diagnostics for patients, practising doctors, clinics and the pharmaceutical industry. 

Providing the leading level of service within the industry, SYNLAB is the partner of choice for diagnostics in human and veterinary medicine. The Group continuously innovates medical diagnostic services for the benefit of patients and customers.

SYNLAB operates in 36 countries across four continents and holds leading positions in most markets. More than 20,000 employees, including over 1,200 medical experts, as well as a large number of other specialists such as biologists, chemists and laboratory technicians, contribute every day to the Group’s worldwide success. SYNLAB carries out ~500 million laboratory tests per year and achieved revenues of EUR 2.6 billion in 2020.

SOURCE : IATA