The Government have announced that they will remove the remaining restrictions on international travel for all UK passengers ahead of the Easter Holidays.
From 4am Friday 18 March, all Covid-19 travel restrictions will be lifted, including the Passenger Locator Form (PLF) for arrivals into UK, as well as all tests for passengers who do not qualify as vaccinated.
This change, therefore, removes the need for unvaccinated passengers to take a pre-departure test and a Day 2 post-arrival test.
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Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The UK is leading the world in removing all remaining Covid-19 travel restrictions, and today’s announcement is a testament to the hard work everyone in this country has put in place to roll out the vaccine and protect each other.
“I said we wouldn’t keep travel measures in place for any longer than necessary, which we’re delivering on today - providing more welcome news and greater freedom for travellers ahead of the Easter holidays.
“I look forward to continuing to work with the travel sector and partners around the world to keep international travel moving.”
Given the current state of the pandemic and a move towards global travel volumes returning to normal, the remaining managed hotel quarantine capacity will be fully stood down from the end of March.
Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of Airlines UK said: “Today’s announcement sends a clear message to the world – the UK travel sector is back. With travellers returning to the UK no longer burdened by unnecessary forms and testing requirements, we can now look forward to the return to pre-Covid normality throughout the travel experience.
"We’re grateful for the timing of the announcement as we prepare to welcome back passengers this Easter and Summer, for which we know there is huge pent-up demand, and for the UK’s leadership in being the first major aviation market to remove all remaining restrictions.
"The time to return to the skies - to enjoy all that makes aviation and international travel great, for families and businesses - is now.”
Additionally, the UKHSA will continue to closely monitor the prevalence and spread of harmful variants and keep international data under review.
While there will be no border health measures on arrival in the UK from March 18, other countries are at different stages in the pandemic and many still require passengers to comply with requirements.
Travellers should continue to check GOV.UK travel guidance including Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice to keep up to date with other countries’ entry requirements.
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