“Vaccine passport” hoped to support resumption of international fights

Illustrative photo. (Source: VNA)

Hanoi - As COVID-19 cases have been on the decline around the world and vaccination programmes have been rolled out in many countries, agencies and businesses at home and abroad are hopeful that the introduction of “vaccine passports” will allow the resumption of international fights.

These passports are expected to become used globally and boost countries’ confidence in easing movement restrictions, reviving their aviation sector, and bolstering trade and economic development while ensuring safety amid the pandemic.

In Vietnam, domestic flights have been resumed and the Prime Minister has asked relevant agencies to study the use of “vaccine passports” and gradually reopen international flights.

Vice Chairman and General Secretary of the Vietnam Aviation Business Association (VABA) Bui Doan Ne said the Government needs to promote quarantine tourism at lodging establishments and develop on-the-spot experiential tourism products which will help domestic and foreign holidaymakers explore the culture and tourism of Vietnam’s regions right during quarantine.

The Government has made preparations for the resumption of international flights and the arrival of foreign tourists holding vaccination certificates, especially from countries with large numbers of visitors, those with potential, and those that have brought the pandemic under control, like in Europe, Australia, China, the Republic of Korea, and Japan.

Trinh Van Quyet, Chairman of Bamboo Airways, predicted that vaccinations around the globe will create a breakthrough in the aviation sector by year’s end, and the carrier will expand its fleet from 29 to 40 this year.

Meanwhile, national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines affirmed that it stands ready to work with relevant agencies to study and pilot “vaccine passports” as part of a roadmap to gradually resume its international flight routes.

Though international passenger flights have been disrupted, the carrier has maintained its flight network through repatriation flights bringing citizens home, cargo services, and one-way flights to foreign destinations.

It also keeps a close watch on developments relating to the pandemic and the market to adopt suitable plans for the reopening of international flights.