UNITED KINGDOM: ETA for transit passengers suspended. Fee to increase 60%

The United Kingdom (UK) recently introduced an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) with an accompanying fee. However, due to customer feedback, primarily from airlines like British Airways, the ETA has been dropped for transit passengers heading through UK airports.

Income and border control

Part of introducing the ETA is to gain a revenue stream from passengers who do not have to pay for a visa, like Australian and USA passport holders. The other reasoning is to secure the UK border with a better and quicker system of monitoring who is entering and leaving the country.

It’s also the way of the world, with most Western countries moving to some form of ETA for border security purposes.

Airline industry backlash

Turns out border security hadn’t quite though things through. Transit passengers were caught up in the ETA. Prior to the ETA, there was no fee to transit through a British airport. If you were not actually entering the country, you would not need to be processed through border security. With the ETA, you do.

Airlines have kicked up a stink about this. They argue that it is a disincentive for passengers to transit through the UK’s main airports at Heathrow and Manchester. Especially when these are the only airports to have transit facilities. They could chose to transit through say Paris with no ETA and corresponding charges.

ETA for transit passengers suspended

The result is the suspension of the ETA for transiting passengers. Passengers who transit airside are now exempt from the ETA, as they don’t actually need to pass UK border control.

The exemption will remain in place for the moment but is regarded as temporary.

Price of ETA to rise 60%

The kicker is that for those who need an ETA to enter Britain if current legislation before parliament passes, the cost will move from £10 (~AU$20) to £16 (~AU$31.45).

2PAXfly Takeout

This is a good move. It would be a pain to complete paperwork and pay a fee just to spend a few hours airside before an onward flight to somewhere else in Europe, especially if it will set you back AU$31!

I know that the UK has a bit of an income problem post-Brexit and COVID, but it would be good if tourists were not always seen as a potential cash cow! Mind you, as an Australian with one of the highest charges for issuing and renewing passports, I should talk!