The UK’s recently implemented Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) programme has received criticism from Sean Doyle, British Airways CEO, for complicating transit passenger layovers and hindering the airline’s competitiveness.
ETA, developed to charge visa-exempt travellers passing through the UK a fee, will require passengers to apply for a permit up to three days in advance and pay £10 (R234).
Doyle contested ETA at the Airlines 2023 conference, saying it diminished the appeal of transit BA flights through the airline’s main hub, London Heathrow. Not only does connecting through Heathrow now include additional costs, but it also jeopardises flights if business travellers fail to apply for an ETA in time, resulting in significant delays.
Up to 50% of BA’s Heathrow traffic relies on transit passengers and harried business passengers using the airport to reach other destinations, which provides additional revenue for the airport.
“The ETA could put carriers like British Airways, who rely on connecting traffic, at a competitive disadvantage to European hubs. We need to make sure by stealth we don’t make our industry uncompetitive,” said Doyle.
