An arrivals terminal for passengers from red list countries only has opened at Heathrow Airport.
The Terminal 3 facility will allow more capacity for arrivals with the UK Government expected to expand its green list of quarantine-free countries for passengers returning to the UK under the traffic light system.
A spokeswoman for the airport said its priority was protecting the public and prevent new variants being imported to the UK, according to Bristol Live.
Passengers arriving by direct flight or via another country from the more than 40 nations included in the red category must pay for quarantine in a government-approved hotel for 10 days.
Concerns have been raised about travellers from red list countries being forced to queue with others at passport control in airport immigration halls.
The facility will eventually be moved to Terminal 4.
The Heathrow spokeswoman said: “Red list routes will likely be a feature of UK travel for the foreseeable future as countries vaccinate their populations at different rates.
“We’re adapting Heathrow to this longer-term reality by initially opening a dedicated arrivals facility.”
However, Heathrow bosses are calling for more nations to be added to the green list to take advantage of the UK's vaccine dividend.
The airport said: “This progress, alongside testing and the government’s own risk-based controls, allows for links to be safely restored to more of the UK’s low risk key trading partners, unleashing the huge economic contribution of these visitors, while protecting the gains made in the fight against this virus.”
Chief executive John Holland-Kaye added: “This research shows just how many businesses across the UK are losing out because of the government’s restrictions on access to overseas visitors and markets.
“The government has the tools to protect both public health and the economy and ministers must unlock more low risk destinations across Europe, as well as the US, as part of the next review on June 7.”
