U.K. Travel Restart Puts Border Control Upgrades to the Test

(Bloomberg) -- The U.K.’s decision to ease travel restrictions later this month will test changes to a border-control apparatus that failed to keep up with surging passenger volumes during an initial reopening in May.

The government said Thursday that it would lift a quarantine requirement on vaccinated residents returning from medium-risk destinations starting July 19, including most of Europe and the U.S. The long-awaited move promises to spur airline travel, as British tourists gain confidence they can plan trips without holing up at home for 10 days when they get back.

While welcome for travelers, the move puts the spotlight on border systems that were stressed by a dramatic increase in people passing through when the country first lifted a ban on most overseas travel. Backups reached several hours as border guards took time to inspect Covid-19 test documents, while faster e-gates were sidelined and social distancing requirements limited the number of desks that could be open at one time.

“Border Force have assured us that they can manage an increase in demand and it’s up to them to deliver,” said Weston Macklem, a spokesman for London Heathrow airport. “It’s not going to look great for them if over the summer people get these new freedoms but have to wait in massive queues.”

Smoother Entry

Since May, the agency has increased staffing at airports, partly by bringing people back from retirement and reallocating other tasks, said Lucy Moreton, a spokeswoman for the Immigration Services Union, which represents border agents. It’s also set to remove the social-distancing requirements for staff from July 19, opening up more kiosks.

The government has also sought to automate processing, while handing some duties like Covid-19 test-result checks to airlines where it can. The automated gates are open at London Gatwick and some are being used at London Heathrow, with more coming online soon, according to the airports.

British citizens, who make up the bulk of travelers affected by the easing of self-isolation rules, can generally use these gates after filling out an online passenger locator form that contains confirmation of scheduled follow-up tests and will also store vaccination status.

Border staff aren’t carrying out any added test-result checks on people who go through the e-gates, according to Moreton.

“Anyone not complying with health measures could face a fine, and carriers will be required to ensure proper checks are carried out,” the Department for Transport said in a statement on its website.

Border Force officials didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Big Surge

Thursday’s announcement is likely to spur hordes of vaccinated Britons to consider an overseas holiday this summer as amber-listed countries like Spain, Portugal and Italy were taken off a list of places the government advised against traveling to.

The government said it would consider extending the relaxation of self-isolation requrements -- which now applies only to residents -- to visitors from Europe or the U.S. later this summer.

In the hours after the change, discount carrier EasyJet Plc said bookings to amber-list countries quintupled, and it put an extra 145,000 seats on sale. British Airways reported a doubling of flight searches from a week earlier.

The changes to the border processing will improve traffic flow, but it’s not clear whether it’ll be enough to keep up with rising passenger volumes. Arrivals from many countries aren’t able to use the e-gates, and will have to be processed manually.

“Any increase in passengers will result in an exponential increase in queues,” said union spokeswoman Moreton.

Another question is whether travelers will properly fill out the forms. One reason the Border Force was asked to check all documentation was because of non-compliance, she said.

What’s Next

Airline groups have called for more. They are trying to get the government to allow all fully vaccinated people to enter the U.K., not just British residents.

They also want to do away with costly testing requirements. British Airways, owned by IAG SA, and Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. are trialing app-based vaccination-check technology at Heathrow in hopes it will prove to authorities that it can work.

“Airlines have been really keen to push a streamlined system, and that will clearly benefit passengers as well,” said Rory Boland, the travel editor for consumer group Which? “Governments and border forces have had a good amount of time to prepare for this so they really should already have solutions ready.”

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