An airline has revealed that it will demand proof of a Covid-19 vaccination from international passengers.
Head of Australian carrier Qantas has confirmed that having the jab - and being able to prove it - will be required by every passenger wanting to fly abroad on their services.
CEO Alan Joyce said that as soon as a vaccine became available, it will become a condition of travel, deeming it a necessity for international travel.
He told Channel 9's A Current Affair programme in Australia: “We are looking at changing our terms and conditions to say for international travellers, we will ask people to have a vaccination before they can get on the aircraft.
“Certainly, for international visitors coming out and people leaving the country we think that’s a necessity.
"I think that’s going to be a common thing talking to my colleagues in other airlines around the globe."
It is thought this is the first airline to announce they will implement such measures.
Uptake of the coronavirus vaccine is expected to remain voluntary in most nations - including the UK - and at the moment it is unclear of the legalities of refusing passengers due to non-vaccination.
It comes as a third potential coronavirus vaccine has shown to be effective in preventing the disease, marking a key step in the fight against it.
The news of a vaccine against Covid-19 has raised hopes in the travel industry that international travel could soon resume in the new year - however it has also raised questions about how vaccination status can be verified among passengers.
It has reinforced the idea that many countries will adopt a "digital health passport" system, which will document which vaccines a traveller has received - and if it is acceptable to the country they're trying to enter.
The system is already being trialled to provide a passengers covid test results on two major airlines - Cathay Pacific and United Airlines. The technology allows airline and border staff instantly receive a passenger's coronavirus test result via a QR code, creating a digital health pass to prove they are covid-free.
Negative results will generate a QR code which can then be scanned by airline staff and border officials as proof of being free of the disease.
In addition to test results it will also be able to store other health data required by any country - including vaccinations required before entry.
