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www.teachwire.net/school-trips | 21 L OG I S T I CS Planning a school trip abroad? Don’t be caught out by upcoming changes to travel rules and regulations… BEFORE Ian Coles is head of operations and customer experience at school tour operator Halsbury Travel. you go... @HalsburyTravel halsbury.com I AN COLES I f you will be taking a school group overseas during the next academic year, then you might have heard that a few things will be changing at airports and borders. Here’s what we know so far… Are hand luggage security rules at airports changing? The Department for Transport had set June 2024 as the deadline for major UK airports to invest in and install new 3D scanners that will spell the end of strict restrictions on liquids being carried in passengers’ hand luggage. That means that you won’t need to remove any liquids, gels or creams from your luggage; you won’t be restricted to 100ml bottles (the new cap will be two litres); and you won’t need to pop everything in a plastic bag. You also won’t need to remove laptops and other electrical equipment from your luggage, as the new scanners will give security personnel much greater visibility of what we’re all carrying. So, the great news is that it’ll soon be much quicker to get through airport security. (If you travel through Teesside or London City airports, you’ll see they’ve already got the new scanners in place and operational.) However, several major airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester, are currently behind schedule and could take until the first quarter of 2025 to get their new scanners up and running. The advice (for now) is to check with your airport and airline what rules apply to you and, if in doubt, continue to adhere to the restrictions on liquids, in the knowledge that easier and quicker security screening is on its way (hooray!). What is the Entry/Exit System (EES), and when is it being introduced? The Entry/Exit System (EES) is due to be introduced at EU borders on 6 October. This is, to all intents and purposes, a digital border. It should mean that there will no longer be any need to stamp passports for non-EU nationals (like us Brits) visiting the Schengen Area on a short-term basis (like school trips, for example). In the long term, this is great news for schools, as it should be much quicker to get through security. However, in order to register yourself on the system, you’ll have to have fingerprints and a facial scan taken on your first visit to the Schengen Area after the EES is introduced. And to begin with, this will likely cause delays at entry points. Both we and the School Travel Forum are keeping in regular contact with the relevant bodies and authorities, so that we can make sure we’re able to provide our groups with the most up-to-date information. What is ETIAS, and when is it being introduced? ETIAS stands for the European Travel Information and Authorisation System and is similar to the ESTA visa waiver system used by the United States. It will be an entry requirement for All visa-exempt nationals travelling to Europe – and that includes us Brits. The good news is that it should be really easy to apply for the ETIAS, as you’ll be able to do it online. It’ll only cost €7, so it’s not expensive, and once you have it, it’s valid for three years (or until your passport expires, whichever comes first). This will be introduced a few months after the EES, as it requires the EES to be in place in order to work. So, it’s currently not expected to be operational until mid-2025. This might sound daunting, but with a little planning, you can still look forward to a smooth and stress-free trip. And if you’re travelling with a tour operator, such as Halsbury Travel, they’ll be keeping a close eye on these developments and will be able to advise you if these new requirements are likely to affect your trip.