Gatwick and screening

Pre-departure and post-arrival Covid-19 screening will be available for Gatwick passengers, staff and local residents from next Monday (29 November) with results offered the next day. 

The facility, provided by ExpressTest, could also satisfy post-arrival requirements for the Government’s expected “test and release” scheme to ease travel restrictions and quarantine.

The cost for Gatwick’s air passengers and on-airport staff will be a subsidised rate of £60 and for the general public £99. The Centre booking portal goes live on Friday 27 November with first appointments available from Monday 30 November.   
 
Th screening centre is located within the airport’s Long Stay Car Park at the South Terminal.

Essentially the facility is for air passengers who may require a valid, negative test certificate for destinations requiring one from up to 96 hours before travel.  There is a need to check with travel providers that the test meets the specific requirements of the destination.  

Stewart Wingate, Chief Executive Officer, Gatwick Airport, said: “Our industry has been decimated by the pandemic and, while we welcome the anticipated “test and release” scheme from the Government, we want to see an internationally agreed pre-departure testing regime, based on existing risk criteria, to replace the current uncertainty of quarantine and patchwork of testing approaches which currently exists across Europe.  A truly international approach would safely open up most of the UK’s travel routes abroad, while also helping to reduce transmission of the virus.”

ExpressTest has been set up by established screening parent company Cignpost Diagnostics whose clients include Netflix, the BBC and the PGA European Tour.  

www.expresstest.co.uk  

www.gatwickairport.com

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