Ryanair launches digital 'travel wallet'

Europe's budget carrier Ryanair has ramped up its summer schedule.

They say if you wait long enough for a bus, they'll all arrive at once, and it seems this is proving to be the case for digital travel passes.

Hot on the heels of the news this week that Singapore Airlines will be trialling the International Air Transport Association's Travel Pass this month, Europe's budget airline Ryanair has launched a Travel Wallet.

The wallet is available exclusively on the Ryanair app and enables passengers to upload negative PCR test results, Covid-19 vaccination certificates and other documents required for travel within the European Union.

Although international travel is currently illegal from Britain, regulations are set to lift from May 17. Europe's holiday hotspots have consequently been deluged with bookings from Brits desperate to hit the beach this summer. If restrictions do ease in May, it will also be in time for the British half-term school break which falls in the first week in June.

It was reported in the British media yesterday that airlines are considering using jumbo jets for flights from Britain to the Mediterranean, such as been the surge in bookings. Online searches for flights to Greece are reportedly up by 44% on last week.

"Many Ryanair customers will be taking their first holiday in over a year, adhering to new travel guidelines," said Ryanair's director of marketing, Dara Brady. "This Covid-19 Travel Wallet allows customers to store their Covid-19 documents, such as PCR test results, passenger locator forms and vaccine certificates, in one location with zero fuss or paperwork to worry about."

Just over 23 million Britons have so far been vaccinated, with that figure expected to dramatically rise in coming weeks as vaccine supply increases. It's hoped that all of the country's over 40s will be vaccinated by Easter.

In anticipation of a busy summer, Ryanair has introduced three new routes between Britain and the Greek holiday destinations of Preveza, Zkynthos and Santorini and additional flights to the islands of Corfu and Rhodes. It has also launched its biggest ever domestic schedule in Spain with nine new routes and an additional 16 flights a week from July 1.