All Policies Include Enhanced COVID-19 Cover
Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30
Coronavirus FAQs
Questions about cover for coronavirus? Read our FAQs and find out what our policies can do for you. If you would like to contact us, please note we are currently only available 09:00 to 17:30 Monday to Friday due to reduced operational capacity. Thank you.
07 August 2018 07:32
Passengers face long queues at passport control
The head of British Airways has branded two-hour queues facing travellers at Heathrow's passport control as a "border farce."
BA chief executive Alex Cruz said passengers at the London airport are regularly facing queues "significantly worse" than elsewhere across the continent.
Mr Cruz called for the government to focus on tackling lengthy queues, instead of the reported idea of designated lanes for UK passport holders after Brexit.
Unacceptable
Writing in the Times, Mr Cruz said the waiting times were unacceptable, and well below target times at passport control.
He said: "Two-hour queues are fast becoming the norm for those visiting from outside the European Economic Area (EEA), despite a target of no more than a 45-minute wait.
"Even EEA citizens wait almost an hour. This is unacceptable, yet Nick Jariwalla, the head of Border Force at Heathrow, said recently that things were unlikely to change and it was unreasonable for his team to be expected to meet their targets."
Mr Cruz, who succeeded Keith Williams as CEO in April 2016, said the airport has missed its target for non-EEA arrivals more than 6,000 times this year.
He wrote: "Queues are significantly worse than at many other major world airports. What kind of message does this send, as we try to build links outside the EU?"
Lack of staffing
A number of arriving passengers at Heathrow's Terminal 4 were forced to wait three hours before being processed due to "lack of staffing" during England's second-round game against Colombia on July 3.
A Home Office spokesman said: "The vast majority of people who arrive at Heathrow get through the border within our service standards.
"But we understand the frustration for those who have experienced longer waits and remain fully committed to working with our partners to reduce waiting times as far as is possible. At the same time, we will not compromise the essential checks we carry out at the border which keep our country safe.
"We are making sure Border Force has the resources it needs and are deploying 200 additional staff at Heathrow over the summer."
If you're a non-EEA resident and are travelling to the UK in the near future, make sure you have the right insurance cover for you by checking out our dedicated travel insurance options for non-EEA residents.
04 January 2021
Head north for a light show like no other. Discover how you can see the Northern Lights for yourself.
[more...]
Discover more about the magnificent waterfall perched on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.
10 December 2020
Don't sleep on the world's most impressive dormant volcano.
A destination that stands head and shoulders above the rest.
19 November 2020
Take a tour of one of South America's most captivating natural landscapes.
Discover the hidden depths of the world's most recognisable desert gorge.
It's the question on everyone's mind right now - unfortunately, there's still no easy answer...
Discover why planes are more hygienic than you might think.
Dive into Queensland's colourful coral.
02 November 2020
With the global travel industry slowly getting back on its feet, it's a great time for holiday bargain hunters. Here are our top tips for 2021.
Is it possible to fly green? Discover five ways to fly more eco-friendly and reduce the impact of your air travel.
From sustainable architecture to reduced energy consumption, here's how airports around the world are helping to reduce their carbon footprints.