UK ETA already harming travel despite partial rollout

The introduction of the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is raising growing concerns about its impact on tourism, business travel and air transit. Though the system is not yet fully operational for all nations, its early effects are already being felt in some sectors—especially at regional airports and major international hubs.

Phased rollout of the ETA

The ETA is currently in force for nationals of Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The British government plans to extend the scheme to travellers from the European Union, European Economic Area and Switzerland starting in early 2025, followed by the rest of the world in autumn 2025.

The ETA costs £10 per person on top of existing travel fees and must be completed entirely online via the UK government’s official site ahead of travel. Travellers are advised to submit an application several days before their intended departure.

Airport and airline fallout

UK regional airports are voicing strong concerns about a potential drop in passenger traffic. Liverpool John Lennon Airport has publicly urged the government to reconsider the ETA fee, with chief executive John Irving warning that the extra charge could deter visitors and hurt regional air links.

Heathrow, the UK’s busiest hub, has highlighted difficulties with ETA requirements for transit passengers, arguing that British airports will be at a competitive disadvantage compared with EU hubs.

Heathrow’s chief executive, Thomas Woldbye, emphasised the need to exempt transit air passengers from the ETA scheme to keep the UK aviation sector competitive, saying: "We must level the playing field in order for British aviation to remain world-class."

Passenger traffic effects

Falling transit numbers

Since ETA implementation began, Heathrow has reported a marked fall in Qatari transit passengers.

Between April and July 2024 Heathrow saw 19,000 fewer Qatari passengers in transit.

That decline is troubling, since many long-haul connections that underpin the UK economy, exports and international connectivity rely on those very transit figures. Short business trips could also shrink as professionals factor the new pre-trip requirement and advance planning into their schedules—reducing the flexibility of global commerce.

Comparing travel-authorisation systems worldwide

To put the UK ETA in context, the table below contrasts it with similar programmes already in use or soon to launch:

Government stance

The Home Office insists the ETA improves frontline security by capturing travellers’ biographic, biometric and contact details, plus "eligibility questions."