‘No permission, no travel’: UK issues final warning ahead of 25 Feb ETA enforcement
Snow and staffing squeeze trigger 1,600-plus flight disruptions at UK airports
Home Office sets 12 February release for January 2026 visa statistics
Latest News
‘No permission, no travel’: UK gives final warning before ETA enforcement in February 2026
A UK-wide Electronic Travel Authorisation becomes mandatory on 25 February 2026 for visitors from 85 visa-free nations. The £16 digital permit must be obtained before departure, and carriers face fines for boarding non-compliant passengers. Global Mobility and travel managers should update workflows immediately to avoid last-minute disruptions for staff and clients.
Blizzard grounds flights, halts rail lines and snarls Eurostar as UK hit by winter’s first major travel test
Heavy snowfall on 5 January shut schools, grounded hundreds of flights, and suspended key rail routes—including parts of Eurostar—across the UK. Airlines such as Loganair issued mass cancellations, while AirHelp logged over 1,600 disrupted flights nationwide. Business travellers face cascading delays and scarce hotel space, highlighting the importance of robust winter-weather contingency planning.
Border Security Act powers kick in: officers begin seizing mobile phones from Channel arrivals
Under new provisions of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act, UK officers can now confiscate phones and SIM cards from Channel migrants without making an arrest, aiming to mine data on smuggling gangs. NGOs say the policy violates privacy and risks re-traumatising vulnerable people. Companies supporting asylum operations should update data-protection protocols immediately.
Harmondsworth detainees allege ‘degrading treatment’, urge UN probe into UK’s ‘one-in, one-out’ returns scheme
Asylum seekers at Harmondsworth say they suffer poor medical care and psychological distress under the UK’s ‘one-in, one-out’ returns agreement with France. Their call for a UN investigation coincides with new enforcement powers and impending deportation flights, raising fresh scrutiny of the government’s migration strategy.
1,600-plus flights disrupted at UK hubs as knock-on from weather and staffing squeezes bites
AirHelp logged over 1,600 flight disruptions across the UK on 5 January, illustrating how severe weather plus staffing constraints can cascade through the aviation system. Companies should familiarise themselves with EC 261 entitlements and build buffer days into assignment start dates during winter.
Home Office updates ‘Restricted Leave’ guidance, tightening conditions after Border Security Act commencement
UKVI has revised its ‘Restricted Leave’ guidance to incorporate new powers under the Border Security Act, allowing stricter curfews and harsher penalties for non-compliance. Although niche, the update signals a tougher stance on migrants who cannot be deported, requiring employers and advisers to review any affected staff cases.