UK to start one-hour Covid-19 tests at Heathrow from Tuesday: The Times

[LONDON] Passengers travelling to Hong Kong and Italy from Britain's Heathrow Airport will undergo a one-hour coronavirus test before flying out of the United Kingdom under plans to open up international travel, The Times reported on Tuesday.

Rapid tests will be introduced from Tuesday at Heathrow Airport to allow travellers to enter countries where a negative Covid-19 test result is needed to skip quarantine, the newspaper said.

Passengers require to book a test in advance at a cost of 80 pounds (S$140), The Times said.

Heathrow Airport did not immediately respond when contacted by Reuters.

Aviation services firms Collinson and Swissport have set up rapid testing facilities for outbound passengers at Heathrow, the newspaper said.

The testing facilities will initially be open for four weeks and could be extended depending on passenger demand, the report added.

Both Collinson and Swissport did not immediately respond when Reuters contacted early on Tuesday.

Airlines including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Cathay Pacific are among the first to be offering the facility to passengers in Terminals 2 and 5, Financial Times reported.

Meanwhile, British Transport Minister Grant Shapps said on Monday that he would push for an agreement on new travel corridors with the United States.

REUTERS