Published on Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Majority of Brits open to carrying digital health apps for travel

A majority of UK travellers are happy to share their health information digitally in order to travel overseas.

New research by Skyscanner and OnePoll found more than half (59%) of Brits said they would carry health information in a digital pass if required to do so to travel.

Additionally, nearly a quarter (24%) said they would do so to avoid travel quarantine restrictions.

Only 8% said they would not carry digital health information.

It found 35% of respondents would feel more confident about travelling to a destination if it required all travellers to be vaccinated.

Furthermore, a similar percentage (34%) would be more confident about overseas travel by air if their chosen airline opted into a health pass scheme to prove flyers had tested negative for Covid-19 or had proof of vaccination.

"With vaccine roll outs and news of a roadmap out of lockdown renewing international travel hopes, the question now is how we return to travel safely, once it's possible to do so again," said Hugh Aitken, VP Flights at Skyscanner.

"Since the beginning of the pandemic, travellers have shown they are willing to react and adapt to changing requirements in order to be able to travel safely."

The survey findings come on the back of surging demand to travel again following details of the government's roadmap out of lockdown.

Skyscanner says it experienced a spike in bookings of over 69% the day after the Prime Minister's address on 22 February.

"These findings show that we can expect travellers to approach new health and safety measures for air travel much the same way as they have in the past, adjusting to any reasonable requirements that make easy, safe, seamless travel possible," Aitken added.