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Heathrow’s CEO says a requirement for transit passengers to pay £10 and enrol online for a permit will harm the UK.
Thomas Woldbye criticised plans for the brand new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme to use to connecting travellers – even when they spend solely two hours on the airport between worldwide flights.
He informed The Independent: “It clearly reduces the competitiveness of the hub that we have built in Heathrow, which I think is critical to the UK.”
The ETA scheme is at the moment open to guests from Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The scheme will increase worldwide to incorporate all travellers who don’t at the moment want a visa to go to or transit via the UK, together with nationals from Europe and America.
Unlike all different main European nations, passengers making same-airport worldwide connections will need to have the identical documentation that they would wish if arriving within the UK for a vacation or enterprise go to.
At Amsterdam Schiphol, Frankfurt and Paris Charles de Gaulle, connecting passengers don’t want to satisfy native border necessities if they’re flying on to a different vacation spot exterior Europe’s Schengen Area.
Mr Woldbye stated: “We support the ETA system because it makes sense, immigration-wise.”
But he stated passengers “who are entirely transiting airside to move on to another country” ought to keep away from the effort of an online utility and paying £10 for a quick cease.
“Honestly, I think it’s a mistake,” the Heathrow chief govt stated. “I think that should be changed as fast as possible.”
Mr Woldbye was chatting with The Independent on the day Heathrow introduced its first revenue for three years.
About 30 per cent of passengers utilizing Heathrow are on connecting flights – representing round 25 million journeys in a 12 months.
On a route similar to Bahrain to Boston, which has no direct flights, passengers may select to attach at Frankfurt, Istanbul or London Heathrow. But solely for a journey via Heathrow would Bahraini travellers want to use online and pay for permission to be within the “airside” transit lounge.
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are anticipated to lose site visitors to European rivals.
Paul Charles, director of The PC Agency and former Virgin Atlantic communications director, stated: “Taxing transit is tantamount to failure. If other airports offer free transit then they will pick up market share.
“Airports should be zones of ease, enabling seamless travel. This proposed tax needs removing.”
A spokesperson for the Home Office stated: ”We are introducing an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme to reinforce border safety by growing our information about these looking for to come back to the UK and stopping the arrival of those that pose a menace.
“Requiring transit passengers to obtain an ETA stops people who may use connecting flights to avoid gaining permission to travel to the UK. We are keeping this under review as we continue to roll out the scheme.”
Government online details about the brand new scheme says: “Requiring those transiting to obtain an ETA will stop transit being a future loophole for people to use to avoid needing an ETA. This is in line with the US Esta scheme.”
There is an enormous distinction between the UK and the US, although. All arrivals at American airports are required to cross via the US border, as if they have been planning to remain for weeks or months, earlier than connecting to an onward flight. This will not be required of transit passengers within the UK.
The European Union is predicted to roll out its much-delayed Electronic Travel Information and Authorisation System (Etias) subsequent 12 months. The EU says explicitly to passengers making worldwide connections: “You do not need an Etias travel authorisation if you only remain in the international transit area.”
Listen to the complete interview between Simon Calder and Thomas Woldbye, Heathrow CEO
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