The International Air Transport Association's (IATA) head has revealed that the Travel Pass app will be available in the coming weeks. The app, which was originally created to help passengers with airport check-in and flight boarding, has now been enhanced to include passenger immigration clearance upon arrival.

IATA director general Willie Walsh stated during an online media conference that the Travel Pass app had received excellent responses. He also stated that it is likely to become live in the coming weeks following another round of tests, with an estimated 60,000 people registering to test the system.

According to the association’s official Twitter account, among the next batch to test the app’s capabilities includes Vietnamese airline company VietJetAir. Nick Careeen, IATA’s senior vice president for airport, passenger, cargo and security, is optimistic that this collaboration will demonstrate that digital health apps can securely, conveniently and efficiently help manage passenger travel health credentials. “This is a positive step forward towards restarting international aviation,” he said as per VietJetAir’s press release.

Malaysian Airlines was one of the first airlines to test IATA's app earlier this year, covering flights from Kuala Lumpur to London between April 30 and May 31, 2021. The airline stated in late May that the trial would be extended and expanded, now including flights from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne, Australia, and Narita, Japan. Travel Pass trials on the KL-Melbourne route began on May 30, with further trial-based flights to follow soon after.

Malaysia Airlines also stated in February that, with the support of the IATA trials, it is establishing its own Digital Travel Health Pass. The airline's pass essentially combines the four main parts of Travel Pass into its own mobile app as a one-stop solution for passengers, while also making it more user-friendly and approachable by "considering technical and cultural issues." Malaysia Airlines hasn't said when the Digital Travel Health Pass will be available.