Skift Take
A step in the right direction, although some passengers might balk at the price tag and wonder why the UK government can't apply the same tests when they return.
Travelers heading to Hong Kong and Italy from the UK can now take local government-approved Covid tests.
From Tuesday, Collinson and Swissport will offer rapid testing from Terminals 2 and 5 at London Heathrow Airport, which they claim is a first for a major UK airport.
Hong Kong and Italy currently require passengers to provide evidence of a negative Covid result prior to departure. British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Cathay Pacific will offer their passengers the tests — but they come at a cost, and in a few cases at a price higher than the actual airfare.
The private test costs $103 (£80), and aims to provide departing passengers with their results in one hour. British Airways, for one, is offering a return fare to Rome from $100 (£77.61) on November 1.
The airport facilities will initially supply Antigen and Oxford University LAMP tests. These differ from RT-PCR tests, which a growing number