Travellers arriving into the UK from 'red list' destinations will be charged £1,750 for their stay under tough new quarantine rules coming into force on Monday, February 15.
The crackdown will further impact the aviation industry that has been hit hard by the pandemic.
The industry has long called for testing of travellers but they want it to co-incide with a relaxation of quarantine requirements.
As the rules stand, only UK nationals or residents are allowed into the UK from 33 countries on the red list, including parts of South America and the UAE.
They will have to quarantine for 10 days and take two tests or face fines up to £10,000.
The Confederation of British Industry’s chief UK policy director Matthew Fell said that while the priority is to protect public health, the new quarantine rules and testing requirements are a further reminder of just how challenging the situation is for the international travel sector.
He said: "Immediate support is now essential to protect companies and jobs in the aviation sector and its supply chains in the difficult months ahead. The Government should also be clear on a road map to relaxing restrictions when health data permits.
“The UK’s world-class aviation sector – which underpins so much of our economic activity – must be supported so that it can play its full part in the country’s recovery.”
Last month, the UK’s Aviation and Aerospace industries called on the Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak to introduce a package of support to protect companies in the closure of travel corridors.
ADS, Airlines UK, and the Airport Operators Association (AOA), who together represent UK airlines, airports and aircraft manufacturers, want a series of measures including financial support for companies affected, swift delivery of a more resilient testing system to support a resumption in international travel, and relief from levies, duties and charges.
In February, airports were invited to apply for a Government grant worth up to £8million creating a potential lifeline for a sector hard hit by coronavirus restrictions.
The Airport and Ground Operators Support Scheme will help commercial airports across England to cover losses on costs caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, including airfield operations, contracted services such as airfield and runway maintenance and business rate bills.
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