People flying out of Liverpool Airport on easyJet can now get access to cut-price COVID-19 tests before they travel. Tony McDonough reports
Passengers flying out of Liverpool John Lennon Airport with easyJet can now get access to cut-price COVID-19 tests before they travel.
A new partnership between easyJet and easyJet Holidays and two testing firms, Confirm Testing and City Doc, will see tests results offered within 48 hours. It will allow travellers to fly to countries including Germany, Spain and Italy where a test is now required.
When passengers book their flights or holidays they will be given a unique code to then book their COVID test with one of the two companies. Available from later this week, customers will receive a reduced rate of £75 per home test with Confirm Testing or £100 per home test or £150 for an in clinic test with CityDoc.
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Both testing companies aim to provide results within 48 hours of the test being returned to them. Confirm Testing is managed via Royal Mail and their Priority Post boxes and CityDoc offer a courier service. easyJet is also working to identify suppliers in Europe to be able to provide this across its network.
Along with the rest of the aviation sector, easyJet, the largest carrier at Liverpool Airport, has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic with national lockdowns and restrictions slashing the number of available flights. Last month the company announced annual losses of £1.2bn.
Its new services follows the Government’s ‘Test to Release’ announcement which reduces quarantine following a negative test result after five days. The airline says it is continuing to explore ways of working with different governments and industry partners to test the efficacy of more rapid testing
Johan Lundgren, chief executive of easyJet, said: “We continue to push for testing the efficacy of rapid testing technologies such as antigen and LAMP testing which could be undertaken on departure at the airport and for further reducing quarantine, making it easier and less onerous for people to travel.
“It is clear that while testing will continue to be important to keeping people moving in the coming months, eventually the vaccine will play a role in reducing this and return travel to normal. Governments and industry need to work together to achieve this and we stand by ready to support where we can.”