Sydney, March 20: From yesterday, the Australia Travel Declaration (ATD) pilot program will expand to include eligible passengers on all international Qantas flights arriving at Brisbane Airport (BNE). Led by the Australian Border Force (ABF) in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) and Qantas, the initiative replaces the paper Incoming Passenger Card (IPC) with a digital alternative.
ABF Commissioner Gavan Reynolds said the expansion of the ATD pilot marks a significant step toward modernizing border processes and improving the traveler experience. The program, initially launched in October 2024 for passengers arriving from New Zealand, expanded last week to include flights from Los Angeles (LAX).
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s Deputy Secretary of Biosecurity Justine Saunders said the pilot has demonstrated a more seamless experience for travelers while improving biosecurity risk management.
Qantas Group Chief Customer and Digital Officer Catriona Larritt said customer feedback from the initial rollout was positive, supporting the expansion of the program to all international flights into Brisbane.
Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff welcomed the initiative, noting that digitizing arrival processes is an important step in preparing for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and increasing tourism.
Nearly 12,000 passengers have already used the ATD, with feedback highlighting the ease and efficiency of the process. Passengers receive a digital pass with a QR code through the Qantas app and email, which they present to ABF officers upon arrival for faster clearance.
Insights from the Brisbane pilot will help shape the future rollout of the program to other airports and airlines.
Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) is advocating for the rapid adoption of digital identity technologies to enhance aviation security and operational efficiency.
At the Sydney Leaders Week Conference, leading government and industry stakeholders in aviation security emphasized the need for collaboration in implementing Verifiable Credentials (VC) and Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs). The event, hosted by Qantas, brings together industry experts and government representatives from Australia, Canada, China, New Zealand, the UK, and the US.
Digital identity is widely recognized for its potential to strengthen aviation security by reducing fraud, enabling secure cross-border identity verification, and improving operational efficiency.
Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Operations, Safety and Security, underscored the importance of global cooperation in advancing aviation security, noting that Verifiable Credentials and Decentralized Identifiers are key to reinforcing trust and efficiency in the sector. He emphasized the need to build on the momentum from the conference to secure a recommendation at the upcoming ICAO assembly later this year.
Aviation security leaders at the conference also outlined key steps for governments to drive the industry’s digital transformation, including the integration of VC and DID technologies into security frameworks, prioritizing aviation digital identity in national strategies, investing in capacity building, and increasing stakeholder engagement to promote adoption.
As part of this effort, IATA’s One ID initiative supports globally interoperable digital identity standards, allowing passengers to verify travel documents before departure and navigate airports using biometric recognition instead of physical documents. The initiative aligns with ICAO’s Digital Travel Credential to maintain security, privacy, and compliance with global regulations.
Additionally, IATA is advancing its Aviation Security Trust Framework, which emphasizes regulatory alignment, cross-sector collaboration, and infrastructure development as essential components for implementing digital identity solutions in global aviation.
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