Shapps wants passenger locator form scrapped by Easter
James ChappleGrant Shapps wants the UK’s passenger locator form (PLF) scrapped by Easter, it has been reported.
The Daily Mail reports the form will be "significantly simplified" in the coming weeks. It added transport secretary Shapps is pushing for the regime to be axed entirely in April, in time for the school holidays.
Shapps last month hinted at the form being simplified, branding it "ridiculously complicated". He has also been a vocal proponent of a streamlined set of rules for international travel, the majority of which came into effect last month.
His efforts, though, have been hampered – it is reported – by demands from the Department of Health, which has insisted on retaining many of Westminster’s international travel rules and has seemingly pulled rank behind the scenes.
Prime minister Boris Johnson, meanwhile, is poised to announce on Monday (21 February) an end to all remaining Covid restrictions in England.
Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, the trade body for UK-registered airlines, said: “Ministers are absolutely right to remove the remaining restrictions but this needs to cut across all elements of the economy, including travel.
"If there is no requirement to self-isolate for those with Covid in the UK – jabbed or otherwise – there can be no justification for continuing with travel restrictions for the unvaccinated, including the continued use of the PLF, which although not as bad as testing remains a deterrent to travel.”
‘Clear rationale’
An Abta spokesperson added: "Abta believes that all Covid restrictions introduced on international travel, including the passenger locator form, should be kept under review and removed as soon as this can be delivered in line with the government’s public health objectives.
"If the government isn’t willing to remove the PLF at this time, a clear rationale must be provided as to why it is being retained and the policy objective it is serving, and there should be further changes to make the system easier to use for all travellers.
"Recent simplifications to the PLF are a step in the right direction, but the UK’s system for collecting passenger data remains much more complex than that used by many other countries, especially competitor markets in Europe.”
Announcing the reopening of Gatwick’s South Terminal earlier this month, the airport’s chief executive Stewart Wingate called for an end to PLFs.
"I urge government to make 2022 the year when all travel restrictions are removed, including the unpopular passenger locator form and other remaining barriers to free travel," he said.
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