COVID-19 testing facility opens at London Stansted Airport

Credit: London Stansted Airport

London Stansted Airport (STN) has launched a new COVID-19 testing facility as part of a move by its parent company, Manchester Airports Group (MAG).

The announcement means that the full range of tests – RT-PCR, RT-LAMP, Rapid Antigen and Antibody – will be available to all passengers in a new, purpose-built facility inside the main terminal building. They will be delivered in partnership with airport services and travel medical provider, Collinson.

MAG, the UK’s largest airport group, also became the first operator to give its passengers the chance to book discounted pre-flight testing appointments on the high street at selected Boots UK stores. The news means that passengers using Manchester Airport (MAN), London Stansted Airport and East Midlands Airport (EMA) will be given maximum flexibility when planning their trips, and comes following the UK government lifting England’s international travel ban.

Certain governments allow pre-departure tests in order to shorten or completely alleviate quarantine requirements in the destination country. Others require them in order to gain entry. Having a full range of tests available at the airport – for any passenger planning to fly who does not suspect that they have COVID-19 – will let MAG passengers choose whichever process they need to meet the pre-departure testing requirements of many of MAG’s most popular markets, such as Spain and Italy, as well as some long-haul destinations.

Passengers will also be able to book the tests they need to shorten their self-isolation period upon return under the UK government’s new ‘Test to Release’ scheme. The scheme will launch on 15 December 2020 and allows travellers arriving from higher risk countries to reduce their period of quarantine by taking a test five days after they arrive in the UK. ‘Test to Release’ follows in the footsteps of a number of countries who are already offering quarantine-free inbound travel to those able to provide evidence of a negative test.

Boots UK offers an in-store RT-PCR COVID-19 testing service, which returns results within 48 hours from more than 50 stores across the UK, specifically for customers who do not suspect that they have COVID-19. MAG passengers will be able to access a five per cent discount, which customers can access through the airport’s website. Airport testing prices through Collinson start at £40 for Antibody tests, £50 for Antigen tests, £79 for RT-LAMP tests and £99 for RT-PCR tests.

Managing Director of London Stansted Airport, Steve Griffiths, said: “As England emerges from a ban on international travel, we know that our passengers are keen to start flying again, but many of Stansted’s most popular destinations require a negative test before you arrive in the country. This new facility will make the process of showing you’re infection-free when booking a holiday as easy and cost-effective as possible in the current circumstances.”

“Our new booking portal makes it easy to select the right test for your destination, and at the location that is most convenient for you. This also means that Stansted is perfectly placed to support the introduction of a UK arrivals testing regime, which will enable travellers to reduce the length of time they need to self-isolate if they test negative. Subject to the relevant tests securing government approval, this could free people from quarantine after just five days. This is the latest example of MAG leading the way as we look to work with government and the rest of our industry to get Britain flying again,” he added.

MAG’s service will cater for both outbound and inbound testing, and adapt as government travel requirements change. Its online booking portal will allow passengers to choose the correct test and testing location for their specific requirements – whether at the dedicated airport facilities or elsewhere.

MAG’s testing services are the first to be offered by an airport group at multiple locations across the country. They also allow for direct booking of tests that can be taken either at the airport or on the high-street, and before or after travel. MAG’s goal is to make testing available to as many passengers as possible, helping to get the country flying again as England comes out of its second lockdown.

David Evans, Joint CEO of Collinson, said: “In order to restore confidence in travel, it is critical that travellers can navigate the many different testing regimes now required by different governments around the world. We were the first company to set up COVID testing facilities at a UK airport, and our partnership with MAG will bring comprehensive testing facilities to Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands Airports. This is a major step forward in opening up the UK to safe travel.”

He continued: “Our new facilities will also support the UK government’s ‘Test To Release’ programme, scheduled for launch on 15 December 2020, and are flexible enough to respond to any changing requirements or legislation from both a pre-departure and inbound testing perspective. Having breadth of testing capability and the flexibility to scale is critical to ensuring that the aviation and travel sector can recover from this pandemic, helping to protect jobs and restore consumer confidence.”

MAG is committed to supporting the UK government’s requirement for travel testing to be carried out privately and not draw on NHS capacity, which is needed for key workers and Test & Trace. All of MAG’s providers, including their laboratory facilities, are private. While this means that customers will have to pay for tests, the cost of these tests are expected to come down over time as technology improves.

Testing for travel is likely to evolve over the coming months, and MAG’s offering will change to match – whether by offering new kinds of tests or adding more capacity in terminals or through partner locations. MAG will help its passengers to navigate the various requirements for testing but ultimately passengers should always check the latest travel advice from government before taking a test.