Three Major Airline Alliances Request 'Quarantine Exemption for Vaccinated Travelers' at G7 Summit

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyewon] Star Alliance, the airline alliance that includes Asiana Airlines, along with oneworld and SkyTeam, announced that they have requested the Group of Seven (G7) countries to establish common travel and health standards for safe border reopening at the G7 summit held in the UK from June 11 to 13 (local time).

The three airline alliances, which accounted for about one-third of the global aviation market before COVID-19, explained that this request is a measure to promote the resumption of cross-border travel and to restore the global economic value generated by travel and tourism.

The three airline alliances pointed out that the current COVID-19 related regulations and procedures vary excessively and are highly volatile across countries, causing disruptions to travel. Therefore, they strongly recommend that the G7 countries take the lead in establishing measures such as ▲exemption from quarantine upon entry for those fully vaccinated ▲reducing COVID-19 testing costs while ensuring accessibility and reliability ▲exemption from additional testing and quarantine for transit passengers who do not enter intermediate stopover countries.

The three airline alliances requested governments to adopt digital processes to manage health certification information necessary for travel, such as COVID-19 vaccination and test result certificates, and supported the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in urging the G7 to agree on common requirements and standards for certification information prepared by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The representatives of the three airline alliances said, "International travel and tourism demand are key factors that keep the global economy running smoothly," adding, "Numerous data already demonstrate the importance of government roles in risk management. If the G7 countries show decisive action to introduce transparent, consistent, and data-driven measures along with border reopening, uncertainties surrounding COVID-19 testing and quarantine will disappear."

They continued, "Vaccination will play a crucial role in the resumption of international air travel and tourism, and governments should consider that authorized vaccines provide a safe and reasonable basis for quarantine exemption," emphasizing, "While the majority of the global population completes vaccination, it is necessary to have strong and consistent COVID-19 testing protocols along with interoperable digital solutions."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.