Bahrain has seen a surge in international air passengers after its decision to drop quarantine requirements for airport arrivals.

It took the decision last month after discovering only a small proportion of passengers developed Covid-19 during self-isolation.

Officials in the Gulf state said they lifted the requirements after discovering that just 0.2 percent of cases – or 1 in every 500 passengers – became infectious during a 10-day quarantine period.

Travellers who were previously required to stay home after taking an airport nasal swab, with a second test needed to exit isolation, now only need to self-isolate until they get a negative result 12 hours after their airport test.

This has driven a 21 percent increase in air travellers between August and September, achieved at the same time that global air traffic is down by 92 percent this year owing to Covid restrictions and travellers becoming increasingly wary of infection and quarantine on arrival.

Dr Ali Al Moulani, economist and the president of Bahrain Economists Society, said: "Across the GCC we have already seen that there is no real safety benefit to a lengthy quarantine for international arrivals, as long as a robust and efficient testing framework is in place. Since removing the need for a 10-day isolation period, we have already seen the numbers of air travellers in Bahrain surge - last month up 21 percent compared to August.”

He added: “Similar approaches have been adopted across the whole region, including in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. This not only provides passengers with a much more convenient and efficient process, but could be a lifesaver for the global airline industry, which has seen international air traffic down 92 percent this year.

"Moreover, it promises to give tourism-heavy economies a much-needed boost. And with some of the newer tests being trialed today able to give results in less an hour, the process can only become quicker and more efficient, without compromising safety. Rapid, accurate and scalable testing for all passengers should now be a global priority.”

Airline industry association IATA and BA chief executive Sean Doyle are among those calling for improved testing at airport to cut down lengthy quarantine periods.

UK Transport Secretary Grant Schapps has also revealed he hopes a ‘test-and-release’ system will be introduced in the UK by December, halving the current 14-day quarantine time.

Countries around the world such as Italy, Germany and the UAE are among those already requiring travelers to either show a negative test on arrival or take a swab at the airport.