The British government has told airlines it will introduce a 14-day quarantine period for most people arriving from abroad to try to avoid a second peak of the coronavirus outbreak, an association representing the airlines says.
Airlines UK, which represents British Airways, easyJet and other UK carriers, said the move required "a credible exit plan" and should be reviewed weekly.
Airport operators said it could have a "devastating" impact on the aviation industry and the broader economy.
The UK will introduce the new quarantine measure to prevent a second wave of coronavirus infections. Source: AAP
The quarantine plan was first reported by The Times newspaper, which said Prime Minister Boris Johnson would announce on Sunday that passengers arriving at airports and ports, including Britons returning from abroad, would have to self-isolate for a fortnight.
Under measures that are likely to come into force in early June, travellers will have to provide the address at which they will self-isolate on arrival, The Times said.
Ireland has had similar measures in place since last month.
Airlines UK had previously warned a quarantine would "effectively kill international travel to and from the UK", making it "all but impossible for aviation to resume any time soon".
Derek Provan, chief executive of AGS Airports, which owns and operates several regional British airports, also expressed alarm.
"This measure will have a devastating effect on aviation, tourism and hospitality as inbound visitors will not come to the UK whilst this is in place," he said.
At the start of the global outbreak, Britain asked visitors from hotspots such as the Chinese city of Wuhan and northern Italy to self-isolate on arrival.
But it refused to follow other countries in shutting its borders, saying coronavirus was already in Britain.
If infection rates fall enough to start lifting the lockdown, officials say that putting foreign visitors into quarantine might help stop a new surge.
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