Travel industry hails Lateral Flow Test switch as ‘huge boost’

The travel industry has hailed the recent Lateral Flow Test switch as a ‘huge boost’ to the sector.

Travel industry leaders and UK Health secretary Sajid Javid have hailed the switch from PCR tests to cheaper lateral flow options as a “huge boost to the travel industry”. From Sunday, October 24, fully vaccinated passengers and most under-18s arriving from non-red-list countries can now use a lateral flow test on or before day two of their arrival in England.

The newly revamped government portal listing providers of tests crashed on Friday however, leaving thousands of passengers in a panic who hadn’t printed off their forms.

“This huge boost to the travel industry and the public will make it easier and cheaper for people to book holidays and travel abroad, and it is because of our incredible vaccine programme that this is possible. Anyone who tests positive must take a PCR test, which, if positive, may be genomically sequenced to check for variants and further help us fight this virus,” said Javid.

Anyone wishing to book a lateral flow test can do so through the private providers listed on gov.uk from about £22 per test, said the government statement. NHS tests cannot be used. Passengers must send a photo of their test result to the private provider and failure to do so could result in a fine of £1,000.

“The change in rules for post-arrival tests will give passengers more options and faster results, just in time for many half-term holidays. It’s thanks to the success of our vaccination programme that we can make this switch – giving the industry and consumers a much-needed boost,” said Transport secretary Grant Shapps.

All travellers must complete their passenger locator form before travelling to England, including providing a test booking reference number supplied by a testing provider- there have been instances of passengers not being able to board flights to the UK from Spain.

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Travellers can now use cheaper lateral flow tests instead of PCR as rules change Coronavirus rules have been relaxed for returning holidaymakers who are fully vaccinated in what the Government is hailing a “huge boost” for the travel industry.

From 4:00 am on Sunday – and in time for half-term holidays – fully vaccinated people arriving in England from a non-red list country were able to use a lateral flow test rather than the more expensive PCR version on or before day two.

Lateral flow tests for international travel must be purchased from a private provider- NHS Test and Trace lateral flow tests cannot be used for international travel.

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