Transport secretary, Grant Shapps, has confirmed that all remaining Covid-19 travel measures will be scrapped from 4am this Friday.
All COVID travel measures, including the Passenger Locator Form and tests for arrivals, will end.
This means that passengers who are not fully vaccinated will no longer have to take Covid-19 tests before and after travelling to the UK.
People planning an overseas trip will still need to be aware of other countries’ entry rules.
The remaining managed hotel quarantine capacity will also be fully stood down from the end of March.
Contingency plans will be put into place to manage any future “variants of concern”. These are expected to be revealed before the holidays in April.A
Virgin Atlantic spokesperson welcomed the news: “The removal of all remaining UK travel restrictions, including the passenger locator form, is the final important step towards frictionless air travel, helping to further restore consumer confidence as we welcome more customers back to the skies this spring and summer.
“With these barriers to travel removed, Britain is open for business and passengers can reconnect with loved ones and business colleagues once again.”
The Board of Airline Representatives in the UK (BAR UK) echoed the sentiments.
Dale Keller, chief executive of BAR UK said: “This is a truly significant milestone and passengers, and airlines will be delighted that the passenger locator form is banished now that international travel into the UK will be harmonised with the domestic reopening.
“We applaud this pragmatic decision by ministers to restore freedom of international travel by removing all remaining Covid-19 related border measures as evidence became overwhelming that border measures were largely ineffective in reducing the transmission of Covid-19.”
