Heathrow Airport has reported a significant decline in passenger numbers on routes affected by the new £10-per-person government scheme. The electronic travel authorisation (ETA) system, introduced by the Conservative government in November 2023, has been described by airport executives as “devastating for our hub competitiveness”. The ETA requires nationals from seven Middle Eastern countries without a visa or legal residence to obtain a digital permit before entering or transiting through the UK. This includes children and babies, with the programme set to expand to travelers from other countries this autumn.
Heathrow Airport has now appealed to the new Labour administration to reform the scheme for the benefit of the entire UK economy. In a statement, the airport stated, “The latest data following the introduction of the ETA shows a loss of 90,000 transfer passengers on routes to and from the seven included countries since its implementation in 2023. This has had a devastating impact on our hub competitiveness. We urge the government to review the inclusion of airside transit passengers. Every effort to improve aviation competitiveness will contribute to vital growth for the UK economy.”
At present, ETAs are required for non-visa nationals from Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. They will be extended to travelers from most other countries this autumn and to European nationals early next year.
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Meanwhile, Heathrow Airport has announced that it served nearly eight million passengers in July, making it the busiest airport in Europe for the first half of the year. Despite issues such as a global IT outage and protests, the airport has reported strong performance with no significant impacts on flights.
The airport also shared its half-year financial results, reporting a 2.9% decrease in revenue but a significant improvement in underlying profit. The airport achieved an underlying profit of £178m, a significant increase from a £139m loss in the previous year.
In response to the concerns raised by Heathrow Airport, a spokesperson from the Home Office stated, “We are implementing ETAs to enhance border security and modernize the travel experience for passengers. The government is continuously reviewing the requirement for transit passengers to obtain an ETA.”
