The chief of the International Air Transport Association has said airlines are suffering a “scam” as pricey coronavirus tests are required of people travelling to Britain.

“Nobody will object to having systems in place to protect health and making sure that people can travel safely. But everybody should object when we see evidence of people being ripped off,” IATA boss Willie Walsh said during an online conference.

“If you fly to the UK for three days ... you've got to buy a package in advance to do a test on day two and day eight, even though you won't be there until the eighth,” former British Airways chief Walsh said, according to AFP.

“This is nonsense. It's a scam, let's call it what it is,” he added, warning that “we can't have a situation where only the wealthy are in a position to travel”.