The United Kingdom is considering a 14-day quarantine for all passengers entering England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland by air travel.
According to the British Broadcasting Corp., U.K. airlines say they have been told the government will institute the two-week quarantine for anyone arriving in the U.K. from any country except the Republic of Ireland.
The move is in response to the continued effects of the global coronavirus pandemic.
The new restriction is expected to start by the end of May, though industry oversight body Airlines UK, which represents British Airways and EasyJet, among other U.K. carriers, said the policy should be reviewed every week.
"We need to see the details of what they are proposing," Airlines UK said in a statement.
Part of the restriction would include those arriving in the U.K. to self-quarantine at a private residence, and could also mean providing an address where they can be checked may be required, though that is unknown at this time.
Also unknown is how long the restriction would be in place and whether other forms of transportation and entry into the U.K.-rail and ferries, for example-would be bound by the quarantine as well.
A spokeswoman for Belfast International Airport said it had written to the government to clarify what the plans were. adding that the airport had not been consulted on the move. Karen Dee from the Airport Operators Association, which represents most U.K. airports, said the measure should be applied "on a selective basis following the science" and "the economic impact on key sectors should be mitigated."
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