Vietnam Airlines has successfully trialed the digital health passport application - the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Pass on the flight from Noi Bai International Airport to Narita Airport (Tokyo, Japan) on August 12.
| A passenger is presenting a passport and personal documents before departure time. Photos: Khanh Huy |
The successful trial shows the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines’ ability for digital transformation, leading to more IATA Travel Pass applications in future flights.
After the successful trial, Vietnam Airlines will continue to conduct the trial on flights from Hanoi to Tokyo until the end of this month, as well as its flight numbered VN5055 from Hanoi to London (the UK) on September 2.
The IATA Travel Pass is one of the most expected solutions for Vietnam to quickly and safely restore international flight routes, opening up opportunities for the tourism and aviation industry to recover after being heavily affected by Covid-19.
According to the national flag carrier, passengers perform the process quickly and easily on the application, from creating a digital profile, filling in-flight information, getting messages on the app showing “OK to travel” and present it to the ground staff before departing.
Earlier, the IATA and the Vietnamese air carrier signed the cooperation agreement on the travel pass in May.
With this app, the IATA also aims to give governments the confidence to reopen borders without imposing quarantines on incoming travelers. The application enables passengers to create a digital passport, providing information about Covid-19 tests or proof of vaccination for border authorities.
Currently, more than 50 airlines are trialing the scheme such as Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Emirates, or have committed to applying it.
