iscover
Qantas has begun to roll out the digital Incoming Passenger Card alternative on some flights from Auckland to Brisbane.
The pilot program, announced in August, allows eligible Qantas customers to access and fill out the Australia Digital Travel Declaration (ATD) through the Qantas app up to 72 hours before departure, removing the need for the physical Incoming Passenger Card (IPC).
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
The ATD is initially available on QF126 services from Auckland to Brisbane and will be expanded to other NZ–Brisbane routes over coming days with more Australian cities expected to join the trial early next year. Qantas has also flagged other international destinations in coming months.
“The paperless declaration means no more trying to find a pen and your flight details midway through your flight. Passengers will have three days to fill out the digital form at a time and place that suits them,” said Qantas chief customer and digital officer Catriona Larritt.
“We’re excited to be partnering with the Federal Government to make flying into Australia that little bit easier for millions of tourists and Australians each year.
“This is the latest addition to the Qantas App and adds to the inbound flight tracker, baggage tracking, passport scanning, and ‘click to call’ features we’ve recently added.”
The scheme was developed through the Trans-Tasman Seamless Travel Group, which aims to improve the travel experience for passengers between Australia and New Zealand. Australian Border Force (ABF) commissioner Michael Outram said in August that the move “presents opportunities to streamline processes, improve data quality, and offer a seamless experience for users”.
“The Australia Travel Declaration is the first initiative from the group and shows the power of a joint approach and leveraging expertise to modernise and improve the experience for travellers,” he said.
“We are excited by the possibilities this pilot program can open up for the future traveller experience – both in and out of Australia – and as we prepare to welcome the world when Brisbane hosts the Olympics in 2032.
“With this in our sights, we are continuing to collaborate with our agency partners and industry to set the global standard for traveller experience.”
The scrapping of paper IPCs has been signalled for some time, with the Morrison government in 2021 announcing a $75 million deal with Accenture for the Digital Passenger Declaration.
The Australia Digital Travel Declaration will be rolled out to other airlines and routes pending a successful pilot program.
