Heathrow says it lost 90,000 transfer passengers after new £10 fee

Heathrow has said it experienced a 90,000 decline in passenger numbers on routes included in a GBP10 per person government scheme. It described the electronic travel authorisation (ETA) system as “devastating for our hub competitiveness”. The Conservative government introduced ETAs in November 2023 for people entering or transiting through the UK without legal residence or a visa. ETAs, which cost £10, are required for nationals of Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The programme is scheduled to be extended to the rest of the world this autumn, although for travellers from the EU, the European Economic Area and Swiss nationals it will be introduced early next year. The airport said: “While Heathrow continues to attract new routes and record passenger numbers, the latest data following the introduction of the ETA shows that Heathrow has lost 90,000 transfer passengers on routes operating to and from the seven countries included in the scheme, since its introduction in 2023. This is devastating for our hub competitiveness. “We urge the government to review the inclusion of airside transit passengers. Every little bit of extra competitiveness that the government can deliver for aviation will help deliver vital growth for the whole of the UK economy.” The ETA is largely based on the US electronic system for travel authorisation (Esta) system, and requires travellers to apply to enter the UK before departing and pay the GBP10 fee. This applies not only to direct flights from the country but also for those who are using UK airports for more than two hours to connect to other flights.<br/>