Vietnam Airlines has become the first carrier in Vietnam to trial the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Pass mobile application. This holds the key to the safe restart of international aviation and tourism and facilitate smooth travel for passengers in a verifiable manner while ensuring government entry requirements for COVID-19 testing or vaccination are met. IATA will provide support and closely coordinate activities throughout the trial with Vietnam Airlines.
The trial will be implemented in June this year. Selected passengers will be invited to download the IATA Travel Pass app to their mobile phones, create a digital ID comprising their photo and passport information and fill in flight details to receive information on entry requirements at the destination. Before departure, passengers will be required to get tested at eligible clinics based on the IATA registry, then share the test results digitally and confirm flight status with the airline ahead of being at the airport. No verification will go to an airline or a government without the authorization of the traveler.
The IATA Travel Pass enables passengers to share the test and vaccination certificates and securely manage their travel in line with government requirements. This will be important for governments that are likely to require either verified testing or vaccination proof as a condition of international travel during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The IATA Travel Pass will be more secure and efficient than current paper processes.
Le Hong Ha, Vietnam Airlines President & CEO said: “Being one of the first airlines in Vietnam working with IATA as a pioneer partner on the IATA Travel Pass is a big step forward for our passengers and for the industry. We truly believe that our robust digital capabilities along with IATA’s extensive expertise in aviation will bring some success after this trial. A digital health credentials initiative such as the IATA Travel Pass should be allowed and widely recognized by governments, thus creating a solution that can help restart flights to and from Vietnam and around the world. The final objective is to restore passenger confidence in flying and to ensure a seamless and safe travel experience for all of them.”
Nick Careen IATA Senior Vice President for Airport, Passenger, Cargo and Security said: “We’re proud to welcome Vietnam Airlines as the first carrier in Vietnam to make IATA Travel Pass available to its passengers. This is an important step towards enabling international travel during the pandemic, giving people the confidence that they are meeting all COVID-19 entry requirements. IATA Travel Pass holds the key to the safe restart of the travel and tourism industry, which is an important contributor to the country’s economy.”
In February 2021, Vietnam Airlines and IATA began discussions on the IATA Travel Pass. Currently Singapore, Panama and Estonia have publicly endorsed the use of the IATA Travel Pass with about 30 airlines having announced trials, including Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways
