International vaccine passports to be tested on flights to Tokyo, London

On Thursday flight VN310 between Noi Bai Airport and Tokyo's Narita Airport flagged off the International Air Transport Association's Travel Pass initiative that allows people to store verified Covid-19 test and vaccination certificates on a smartphone app.

The trial will continue on flights to Tokyo until the end of this month and on one flight to London on September 2.

The airline hopes a successful trial will help speed up resumption of international flights.

Travel Pass has been adopted by more than 70 airlines globally.

Passengers have to register on the IATA website at least three days before departure, download the Travel Pass application in their phone, create their digital health passport, and enter their flight information.

During the trial phase, passengers have to furnish the hard copies if demanded by authorities.

EU member states rolled out digital health passports on July 1 as part of efforts to gradually ease travel restrictions within the bloc, including for non-EU passengers.

Vietnam closed its borders and canceled all international flights in March last year.

Vietnam Airlines last month restarted commercial flights from Hanoi and HCMC to Australia and several Asian and European destinations.