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BRITS To PAy vISA WAIvER To ENTER SChENgEN STATES BRITISH nationals will have to pay a visa waiver fee to enter Europe’s Schengen Area from next year under new rules confirmed by the European Commission. An online platform – the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) – will come into operation before the end of 2022. ETIAS authorisation will cost €7 for all applicants between the ages of 18 and 70. It will be a one-off fee, valid for three years, and will allow multiple entries into Schengen states. Travellers will need to complete
an online application form via an official website or app to receive their approval. The European Commission said it expects a "vast majority" of cases (expected to be over 95%) will result in automatic approval. If further checks are needed, the authorisation may take up to 30 days. The EC said the scheme would facilitate border checks, avoid bureaucracy and delays and substantially reduce the number of refusals of entry at border crossing points.
IAtA IntEGRAtES nHS CovId APP Into dIGItAl tRAvEl PASS THe NHS COVID Pass and EU Digital COVID Certificate can now be uploaded into the IATA Travel Pass as verified proof of vaccination for travel. Nick Careen, IATA Senior VP for Operations Safety and Security, said it was “an important step forward, providing convenience for travellers, authenticity for governments and efficiency for airlines" and urged the WHO to revisit its work to develop a global standard.
98%
expect travel to return before the end of 2021
The majority (98%) of American Express GBT clients expect travel to return before the end of 2021, according to the TMC's latest report on business travel trends and insights, based on client research, traveller surveys, and data analysis
Eurostar adds trains after rise in demand eURoSTAR is adding more rail services between the UK and the continent in response to growing demand following the relaxation of travel restrictions. It will expand schedules from September 6 after the removal of quarantine for fully vaccinated travellers from France to the UK and the easing of restrictions for travel to Belgium and the Netherlands. A new timetable, running until November 1, will see eight daily return services, with five in each direction on the London to Paris route and three in each direction between London and Brussels, with one each way extended to Rotterdam and Amsterdam. All tickets are flexible with no exchange fee up to seven days before departure. Fares start from £39 each way.
[ NEWS BITES ] >> ADVANTAGE Global Business Travel and WIN Global Travel Network have signed two TMC partners in Australia – Bay Travel Group in New South Wales and FBI Travel in Victoria >> HYATT has opened its second property in Ekaterinburg and its first Hyatt Place property in Russia, developed by LLC Hotel Development Company >> AIR CANADA is increasing its non-stop flights between Heathrow and its Montréal hub from three times weekly to four times weekly from September 8 >> GBTA has moved its 2021 European conference from Weisbaden on October 13-15 to Berlin on December 6-8 after a survey of members and potential delegates >> TRANSPENNINE Express has added two extra train services on its Glasgow-Manchester route <<
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