Vietnam Airlines pilots digital health passport
VIETNAM’S national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, in coordination with the International Air Transport Association (Iata), began piloting the digital health app IATA Travel Pass on June 1.
With the project, Vietnam Airlines became the first airline in Vietnam to sign an agreement with Iata to pilot this application, which is considered the key to open up the border, facilitating passengers’ travel between countries, and meeting all entry requirements of authorities and governments of countries.
Iata is committed to supporting and closely coordinating with Vietnam Airlines throughout the trial period.
The IATA Travel Pass is a mobile app that allows travellers to store and manage certifications for Covid-19 tests or vaccines. The app is available in iOS and Android stores.
The information provided through the IATA Travel Pass can be used by governments requiring testing or vaccination proof as a condition of international travel during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. It is reportedly a secure means to manage health requirements and much more efficient than paper processes.
According to Vietnam Airlines director-general Le Hong Ha, promoting digital transformation through an electronic health passport solution such as the IATA Travel Pass will help quickly restore regular international passenger transport.
Iata senior vice-president Nick Careen emphasised that electronic health passport would be the solution to international travel during the pandemic, and that the IATA Travel Pass would hold the key for international aviation activities to restart.
The IATA Travel Pass is being piloted by more than 30 airlines worldwide, including five-star airlines such as Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways, and three countries have officially allowed the use of this app for entry.
The app is forecast to become a global trend, helping countries be more confident in easing travel restrictions and thus rebounding their aviation industries as soon as possible.
The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam has asked the Ministry of Transport to propose to authorised agencies for implementing this mechanism, towards accelerating the reopening of regular international flights to the country.