Vietnam Airlines to pilot IATA Travel Pass this month

The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines will pilot the application of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Pass, a digital travel mobile app, on two flights of VN301 from Narita Airport (Tokyo, Japan) to the beach city of Danang on July 15 and 23.

This is a move to materialize the cooperation program between the IATA and the Vietnamese air carrier under the agreement signed by the two sides in May.

Vietnam Airlines will conduct two int’l flights adopting the IATA Travel Pass.

Eligible passengers include those over the age of 18 and having a Covid-19 negative certificate issued by the IATA registered testing facilities.

Those wishing to be part of the pilot program can register on Vietnam Airlines' website at least three days before departure date, download the IATA Travel Pass app to their smartphones, sign up for an account and enter flight information.

Currently, the application is still under development and testing stages, so passengers are required to present printed certificate to the destination country’s authorities.

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. 

Digital health passports came into force for EU member states from July 1, gradually reopening  for free movement within the EU and international passengers. 

The Vietnamese air carrier recommended the Government to authorized and recognized IATA Travel Pass, helping to quickly restore regular international air transport.

Following the State-run airline, Vietnamese private company Vietjet Air also joined the IATA Travel Pass trial last month.