Four more destinations are predicted to be added to the red list of countries where arrivals to the UK are forced to quarantine in a government-designated hotel.
The red list currently consists of 43 nations from which arrivals are deemed to present a high risk of importing coronavirus.
Passengers arriving in the UK after being in one of those destinations during the previous 10 days must spend 11 nights in a quarantine hotel, costing £1,750 for solo travellers.
Red list countries from where direct flights to the UK are continuing include India, the Philippines, Pakistan, Kenya and Bangladesh.
But Robert Boyle, former director of strategy at British Airways’ parent company IAG, has predicted that Bahrain, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Kuwait will be added to the red list “shortly” due to rising infection rates.
Traffic Light System for European countries
He wrote in a blog post: “Given how much heat the Government is taking about the delays in adding India to the red list, you might wonder why the four red list candidates haven’t already been added.
“But ministers are also under heavy pressure to open up travel, not only from beleaguered airlines and other travel companies, but also from parts of the media chafing against what many see as unjustified state restrictions on liberty.”
All four countries are currently in the amber category.
Mr Boyle added: "We are due another update soon on the UK government’s traffic light ratings."
The new classifications are expected to be announced on Thursday and could be implemented as soon as Monday.
