Airside transit

Airside transit is when you do not pass through United Kingdom border control.  You remain ‘airside’ before you leave the UK on your connecting journey.  It is also called ‘connecting’ and Heathrow in the past has thrived with up to 30% of passengers changing flights.  In the Middle East both Doha and Dubai international airports prosper on this throughput, said to be 80% of all business.  The shops do well also.

From a legal point of view passengers are not technically in a country if ‘airside’.  In the United States all travellers must go through immigration and go ‘landside’.  This was one of the reasons why Air New Zealand gave up the London route through Los Angeles.  It made the connection very complicated.

The ‘English’ government has now issued guidelines, which mainly affect Heathrow.

If you transit airside, you do not need to take a Covid-19 test before you travel if you qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England or have not been in a red list country or territory in the ten days before you arrive in England.

If you do not qualify as fully vaccinated or you have been in a red list country, you need to take a Covid-19 test in the three days before you travel to England.

You do not need to complete a passenger locator form before travel to England.

If you are transiting for up to 24 hours but going landside other rules apply.

Check separate guidance to see if you qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England.

www.gov.uk/transit-visa

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