Minister Robert Courts said on Monday that the UK will examine its COVID travel restrictions in January and is considering overhauling its airport slots system as part of a larger new aviation policy. Airlines have complained that the requirement for day-2 coronavirus tests and cumbersome passenger locator paperwork has prevented passengers from travelling to and from the United Kingdom, which has lagged behind other European countries in easing pandemic travel restrictions. “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. Courts stated, “Slots reform is a top goal for the government.” “As part of our future aviation plan, we are carefully reviewing the function of the slot system.”