(Adds details on review)
LONDON, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Britain will review its COVID
travel rules in January and is looking at reforming its airport
slots system as part of a wider new aviation strategy, minister
Robert Courts said on Monday.
Britain has lagged other European countries in lifting
pandemic travel restrictions with airlines complaining that the
need for day-2 coronavirus tests and complicated passenger
locator forms have deterred people from travelling to and from
the United Kingdom.
"We will be reviewing the policy in January. We'll be
looking to see what we can do at that stage," Courts told the
Airlines UK conference.
He said reforming the country's airport slots system
remained a priority for the government and it will feature in
its new aviation strategy.
Under normal rules, airlines must use 80% of their take-off
and landing rights at busy airports or cede slots to competitors
but the so-called "use it or lose it" rule was waived early in
the pandemic when the crisis grounded most flights.
"Slots reform remains a priority for the government," Courts
said. "We are carefully considering the role of the slot system
as part of our future aviation strategy."
(Reporting by Kate Holton
Editing by William Schomberg)