In a low-key press release issued yesterday, the UK Home Office confirmed it is scrapping the requirement for a UK Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) for passengers transiting airside, a clear response to mounting pressure from the aviation industry.
The department stated:
“Following feedback from the aviation industry, the government has agreed a temporary exemption for passengers who transit airside, and therefore do not pass through UK border control.”
What This Means for Travellers
The exemption mainly benefits passengers connecting through Heathrow Airport and Manchester Airport, currently the only UK airports with dedicated airside transit facilities.
If you can remain airside without clearing UK border control you will not need an ETA.
However, if you’re connecting at any other UK airport and must formally enter the United Kingdom before your onward flight, the ETA requirement still applies. In those cases, travellers must secure approval before arrival.
The exemption is temporary and remains under review.
Why the Sudden Change?
The reversal follows objections from Heathrow Airport, which warned the policy was already denting transfer traffic. During the initial phase of the rollout, Heathrow reported around 19,000 fewer transfer passengers from Doha, one of the first markets subjected to the ETA requirement.
For hub airports, transfer passengers are not optional extras; they are core business. Any additional friction, especially added costs, can quickly redirect travellers through competing European hubs.
But There’s a Catch: Fees Are Rising
While airside transit passengers have caught a break, the cost of the ETA itself is set to rise.
In the same announcement, the Home Office confirmed the ETA fee will increase from £10 to £16 per application, a 60% jump. The rise forms part of a broader plan to generate an additional £269 million annually through immigration charges.
The increase is subject to parliamentary debate and approval by both Houses. If passed, the new fee will be implemented by amending the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Regulations 2018 as soon as parliamentary time allows.
A Question of Balance
Like it or not, Heathrow and to a lesser extent Manchester operate as international transfer hubs. Airlines including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic rely heavily on smooth connections to sustain long- and short-haul networks.
Introducing extra costs for passengers simply passing through was always likely to raise concerns. Hub airports compete fiercely, and even small added charges can influence routing decisions.
For now, transiting passengers who remain airside have one less hurdle to worry about. But with the broader ETA expansion continuing and European travellers next in line the UK’s drive to digitize and monetize border controls is far from over. Whether the airside exemption remains in place long term remains to be seen.
