(Bloomberg) —
The U.K. is considering scrapping its pre-departure Covid-19 test requirement for vaccinated travelers entering the country, according to a person familiar with the matter, after airlines hard-hit by the omicron variant lobbied for the rules to be eased.
The government is likely to keep a mandate for inoculated arrivals to quarantine until they’ve done a test within two days of entering the country, said the person, who asked not to be identified before a decision was made. The cabinet is scheduled to consider its regular three-week review of travel rules on Wednesday.
The decision would bring some relief to airlines after the spread of omicron stifled air travel over the year-end holiday. Governments have tightened border rules in response to the new variant, even though evidence is growing that it produces milder symptoms than earlier Covid waves.
The U.K., one of the first places to identify omicron’s presence, has been subject to rising restrictions from other countries. It toughened its own entry requirements in late November.
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