The business travel industry has welcomed the imminent removal of all Covid-19 travel restrictions in the UK as another “vital step” in the sector’s recovery.
The UK government announced on Monday (14 March) that all remaining Covid travel rules would end at 4am on Friday (18 March), including the need for passengers to fill in a passenger locator form (PLF) and the removal of all tests for arrivals.
Clive Wratten, CEO of the Business Travel Association (BTA), said: “Removing passenger locator forms will oil the wheels of the UK economy. It will make business travel more frictionless, stimulating trade and reducing the £2.5 billion a week impact our economy still faces from Covid travel restrictions.
“Business travel demand is returning, and this news is another vital step in that recovery.”
The removal of all travel restrictions from 18 March comes almost exactly two years after the country went into its first lockdown due to the pandemic. The government also announced that all remaining quarantine hotels would be “stood down” from the end of March.
Drew Crawley, chief commercial officer at American Express Global Business Travel, added: “This long-overdue decision to remove these costly restrictions is good news for the sector and the economy.
“We can now look forward to an accelerated return of business travel and a more frictionless end-to-end experience for travellers.
“If we are to be a successful international trading nation in this post-Brexit, post-pandemic era, the government must now be resolutely focused on supporting the travel and aviation sectors.”
Meanwhile Mark Tanzer, chief executive of travel association Abta, called the decision a “watershed moment” for the travel industry.
“With no more tests or forms to fill in on return to the UK, travel is finally starting to return to normal,” he added. “With destinations around the world also continuing to relax their entry restrictions, international travel is becoming easier.”
Julia Simpson, CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), added: “Other countries ditched passenger locator forms weeks ago, but it is good news the UK government has now scrapped all travel restrictions for coming to the UK.
“If we are to compete on a world stage, we need to be open for business and not ask people to fill in lengthy forms.”
Mike Tibbert, president of the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association (SPAA), also called the move “welcome news”, which would allow its members to return to “business as usual”.
“The news this week that the WTTC and IATA are calling for the patchwork of remaining restrictions in the EU to be lifted also is another piece in completing the jigsaw of freedom of international travel,” he said.