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2 AIRPORT VOICE, APRIL 2021
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Kaamco guest IBM
Health passes big topic at April meeting
John Szatkowski of IBM
speaking about the timely
subject of digital health passes
which are also known as digital
passports.
He spoke about this important
app to the Kaamco members
saying, “Knowing when
employees should return to
work, and remain at work, requires
analysis of a range of
complex factors, from local infection
rates to employee vulnerability
to state, local, and
company policies. IBM Watson
Health can assist clients with
tools designed to enable datadriven
decision making and
front-line employee support.”
He has seen the adoption
of the use of his and other
passes to validate testing
and vaccines when it comes
to air travel, testing/tracing
programs, and use for the
resumption of on-site workforces.
Employers or issuers of
the pass will find most recent
health data as proof of test or
vaccine provided on a mandatory
or voluntary basis.
Currently New York State
is using their version called
the Excelsior Pass app which
is funded by NYS and available
free to businesses and
anyone with test or vaccine records
completed within NYS
through a QR code generated
by the app.
A person can quickly call
up on their cell phone the information
requested by a business
or venue. Get the app
here: https://covid19vaccine.
health.ny.gov/excelsior-pass
He asked if the airline community
could enable a passenger
with mobile device to look at
T&R and identify a way to associate
with a travel reservation
so they can continue on their
journey. He mentioned that
they are working with some
airlines and cruise ships in pilot
tests to determine the ease,
effectiveness and efficacy of the
platform. In terms of cost to users
by other adoptors of the app,
he said there are different ways
that would be charged including
a per transaction charge.
with some vendors looking at a
membership fee.
Not only is the pass used
for proof of health, but also
identity. ID2020 has advocated
for ethical, privacy-protecting
approaches to digital ID.
The Airports Council International
(ACI) is a member
of this initiative to encourage
interoperability among
different organizations. For
the airline industry the IATA
Travel Pass, VeriFly, CLEAR,
and Trust Assure are all programs
aimed at a similar goal
which is to provide a safe,
trustworthy and privacy protected
form of digital identity
through this breakthrough
blockchain technology. Cross
platform commonalities are
important. As ID2020 Executive
Director said, “We can
get there — even with multiple
systems — as long as solutions
adhere to open standards and
participate in a common governance
framework.” Szatkowski
agrees saying IBM
will work with airlines and entities
together to make it work.
Ideally, we want a seamless
passenger journey, without
having to relinquish despareate
papers and our platform
looks to achieve this benefit to
the airline community.
In other Kaamco business
Mark Flug announced
that Kaamco members are
concerned with the financial
headwinds coming with living
wage increase from 16.20
to $7 in September, the increase
flight fees including deferred
fees, and the impacts of
the Healthy Terminals Act all
which negatively impact the
airlines during the decrease
in passenger travel during the
pandemic and deciding on actions
to take.
Cargo Chair Brian Cooley
mentioned the eccoming
FOD clean ups and encourage
all the keep their ramps
clean. Any unclaimed equipment
will be disposed of if not
picked=up.
Remnders were made
about the April 21 Bishop
Wright Lunch, the Rotary 5 K
virtual race beginning April
24th, and of course, the announcement
of the Kaamco
Golf Day which has already
been strongly supported and
looked forward to by the airport
community.
Airports celebrate Earth Day
Major efforts are protecting our planet
Airport management and
stakeholders are celebrating
Earth Day 2021 with continued
participation on some many
fronts -by the Port Authority in
the Paris Accord, more efficient
aircraft, terminal LEED certifications,
electric buses, fleet cars,
and cargo equipment, charging
stations, solar panels, fuel delivery
systems, cargo block chain
technology to reduce congestion and truck pollution, sustainable
Aviation Fuel (SAF) pilot programs, green initiatives,
foreign object debris actions, reduction of cargo
emissions, increased recycling collections, reducing plastic
pollution, waste diversion and conversion programs,
NYCAR noise and health initiatives, carbon neutrality
programs, mass transit, digitization of media, personal responsibility,
all while maintaining health and safety of all
airport workers during the Covid Pandemic.
Pan Am at LGA MAT
New rotunda features
The LGA Marine
Air Terminal will
update some of its
Pan Am features according
to Edward
Trippe, Chairman,
The Pan Am Historical
Foundation,
in association with
the Port Authority,
plans to unveil commemorative
bronze
plaques an to hang
a new, larger scale
model of the B-314 in
the rotunda recognizing the history of the MAT.
Look for a date in the summer for this exciting visual
treat.
https://www.panam.org/
/covid19vaccine
/
/covid19vaccine
/excelsior-pass
/
