Arrivals into Gatwick Airport
(Picture: PA)Airport immigration hall queues would be reduced to pre-pandemic levels if the Government axed complex Covid travel forms in time for the Easter holidays, the boss of Gatwick said on Wednesday.
Chief executive Stewart Wingate said he would “very much like to see” passenger locator forms — one of the last remaining Covid travel restrictions for vaccinated passengers — being scrapped this month. Government sources indicated on Tuesday it was “fairly likely” that the forms, which still have to be filled in by everyone arriving in the UK from abroad, will be dropped, possibly as early as March 18.
Mr Wingate said the forms were still contributing to hold-ups for passengers. He said: “I’ve just come back from France and its taken me about 15 to 20 minutes to complete the forms.”
Ending the requirement would allow the airport to speed up the rate at which passengers can be processed, particularly those passing through electronic e-gates. He said: “The passenger experience should then be very similar to pre-pandemic, but that does depend on the Home Office manning up their desks in immigration and at the e-gates.”
Passengers currently have to provide details such as address, phone number, passport and flight details within 72 hours before return to the UK. They were introduced so officials could enforce strict quarantine requirements at the height of the pandemic, but Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has been pushing to scrap them in time for Easter.
The plans to get rid of the forms have been welcomed by the travel industry. Trade body ABTA said: “We believe all Covid-related restrictions on international travel should be [axed] unless they serve a clear public health objective.”
