Vietnam Airlines signs up for international vaccine passport program

By Dat Nguyen May 30, 2021 | 09:17 pm PT

A passenger uses a smartphone app to show Covid-19 vaccine information to airline staff at an airport. Photo courtesy of Vietnam Airlines.

Vietnam Airlines has signed an agreement with the International Air Transport Association to trial a vaccine passport next month.

It will implement the IATA Travel Pass initiative that allows people to store verified Covid-19-test and vaccination certificates on a smartphone app.

They must be issued by authorized facilities registered with IATA.

Le Hong Ha, CEO of Vietnam Airlines, said: "The most important goal of the initiative is to revive people’s faith in air transport and ensure safe and smooth travel."

Nick Careen, an IATA board member, said it is a solution for facilitating international travel during the pandemic.

Three countries have signed up for the use of the IATA Travel Pass, Singapore, Panama and Estonia, and 30 airlines.