DALLAS — The UK government has announced that London Heathrow Airport (LHR) has received an exemption for transit passengers previously subject to a £10 per-person travel authorization fee.

The Home Office confirmed passengers who transit airside at the airport would be temporarily exempt from the “devastating” Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) scheme.

ETAs, first introduced in 2023, came under fire last year after the UK’s busiest airport reported a drop of 90,000 transfer passengers on routes covered by the system.

Government Caves to Airport Pressure

A statement from the Home Office said, “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.”

While it added that the exemption would be “kept under review,” the airport’s CEO Thomas Woldbye celebrated the news, calling it a “welcome” move and the “right decision.”

Manchester Airport (MAN) has also received a temporary exemption from the scheme, which is set to increase in cost to £16 per person from April 2 this year.

Who Needs an Eta?

ETAs are required for visitors to the UK who do not currently need a visa for short stays or do not have a UK immigration status at the time of travel.

First introduced for Qatari nationals and later for those from a range of Middle Eastern countries, the scheme expanded on January 8 to include US, Australian, Hong Kong, and Singaporean travelers.

Passengers must get an ETA, which permits multiple journeys to the UK for stays of up to six months at a time, before traveling to the UK.

From April, the scheme will also be expanded to travelers, which will be countries, meaning all visitors globally who d. This implies a visa will require an ETA to travel to the UK.

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